No matter where you are; at school, at home, or at work, there are always opportunities to share the Good News of Jesus with people. Be bold in your faith, and great things can happen. Luis Palau, a renowned evangelist, said, “It's very convenient to make excuses for not persuading others to follow Christ. We may say we don't want to be overbearing or offensive. We may think we can't possibly witness to someone because he or she will become angry. But over the years I have learned that some of the people I thought would be most closed to the Gospel often are the most receptive. Although they may outwardly fear it, in their hearts they welcome the message of the Gospel.” To read the rest of his article, “Telling Others the Gospel, Even When It’s Difficult,” click here.
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”
Romans 1:16
“The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”
Psalm 27:1
Here are seven ways you can show others Jesus, whether through your actions or words:
1. Keep God on your mind all day
Practicing this has been a huge help for me. When I think about God throughout my day, I find it hard to get bombarded with the busyness of life. Just be sure not to miss important information in school!
2. Think, “What Would Jesus Do?”
In any situation, if you think, “WWJD?” you will most likely make the right decision. Although many positions you are in may not directly match up with an answer from the Bible, you can usually figure out how Jesus would respond. For example, if someone asked you, “Why is it wrong to smoke?” A verse you could direct them to is 1 Corinthians 6:19-20: “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.”
3. Talk to people everyone else ignores or puts down
When you talk with people who no one seems to love, it has a great impact on not only their life, but also others’. If you are sensitive to someone, they may share their story with you. They might even say, “Why are you doing this?” which would be a perfect opportunity to share the Gospel with them. A verse that came to mind when I thought of this subject was Psalm 82:3, “Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed.”
4. Be kind to others – even those who are hard to get along with
This one kind of goes along with number three. You know those few kids in your class who make fun of your friend’s outfit every day? Or what about your parent who is always telling you to do chores? And yes, even your bossy boss needs a dose of loving kindness. “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.”
John 13:34
“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”
Ephesians 4:29
5. Wear shirts with positive messages
I have had great success in this method of shining Jesus’ light. Over the years, I have received many compliments on my shirts. I would recommend checking out http://kerusso.com because it has a lot of cool designs with positive messages.
6. Don’t cuss
The third commandment is “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain” (Deuteronomy 5:11). That means not flippantly using His name. I hear a lot of people these days say, “Oh my ***,” without even thinking about it. But it’s against God’s law! Christians especially should not cuss in any way, because as James said:
“With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.”
James 3:9-12
7. Have a joyful attitude
Recently I heard a message by Francis Chan that really stuck with me. Using the example of the show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, he explained how others should see God through us. If you haven’t seen the show, I will briefly illustrate it. Basically, a family in need gets their house demolished and a new one rebuilt over the course of a week while they are away at Disneyland or some fun place like that. The whole show boils down to three words, “Move that bus!” But when the family arrives home from their trip and yells those three words, the camera doesn’t shift from their faces to the amazing new house. Instead, the camera stays focused on their faces, so we see how great the house is just from the gratitude and awe radiating off their faces. Similarly, when others look at us, they should see God shining from our faces – even if they are not looking directly at God.
“For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.”
Galatians 1:10
Did you know that Heather has never broken a bone?!
Did you know that Abby plays piano?!
Photograph property of Lilies Among Thorns Magazine. Photograph taken by Abby Whear.
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