Great Ways For Your Kids To Be Salt & Light at School

It is easy to forget that the way your children behave at school not only reflects on you, but can also give people an impression of Christians. Your kids won’t be perfect, any more than adult Christians, but they should remember God expects them to be salt and light at school.

Your kids may be confused when you begin reinforcing the need for them to be salt and light. What does that mean? It can be easier for them to understand if you read Matthew 5:13-16 to them. Help them think about the stories from the life of Jesus and the early Christians in Acts. What are some of the things they did to be salt and light in their world?

Brainstorm with your children practical ways for them to be salt and light every day at school. Here are a few to get you started.

  • Obey the rules. The New Testament makes it extremely clear God expects us to obey the authorities in our lives unless they are telling us to do something that disobeys God. Your kids need to obey class and school rules – even if they don’t like them.
  • Thank teachers at the end of every class or every school day. Our daughter participated in an activity that involved taking a lot of special classes. Students and teachers were required to thank each other at the end of every class. You can’t control what the teacher or other students do, but think how encouraging it will be to the teacher when thanked every day.
  • Be the encourager. Talk about ways to encourage others in their classes. Everyone could use a little encouragement and students who are struggling really need someone who encourages them.
  • Refuse to talk badly about others, mock, bully, exclude or gossip. School personal relationships can quickly become extremely toxic. Encourage your kids to be kind and loving in all of their interactions with others.
  • Be kind to the excluded. The suicide rate among elementary children is exploding. Part of the problem is that these children feel isolated. Something as simple as being asked to sit by someone or a kind conversation could change everything for some children.
  • Do their best at schoolwork. The Bible says we are to work as if working for the Lord. If they struggle to do their best (“best” may be different for each of your children), encourage them to think about how they would act if Jesus were their teacher.

Reminding your kids to be salt and light at school will give people a more accurate reflection of how God wants Christians to live their lives. Not surprisingly, being salt and light requires behaviors that will also make them better students and friends. It is truly living the best possible life.

Published by

Thereasa Winnett

Thereasa Winnett is the founder of Teach One Reach One and blogger at Parenting Like Hannah. She holds a BA in education from the College of William and Mary. She has served in all areas of ministry to children and teens for more than thirty years and regularly leads workshops for ministries and churches. She has conducted numerous workshops, including sessions at Points of Light’s National Conference on Volunteering and Service, the National Urban Ministry Conference, Pepperdine Bible Lectures, and Lipscomb’s Summer Celebration. Thereasa lives in Atlanta, GA with her husband Greg, where she enjoys reading, knitting, traveling and cooking.

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