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You know that sharing Christ with your friends is important. But it can also be pretty scary. What do you say? What will they think? These three students want to pass along a few things they've learned about sharing the Good News.

A few years ago, I had some friends who weren't Christians, but I had no idea how to witness to them. Those friends were really lost. They were caught up in swearing, sex, drugs and whatever else they could find to fill the emptiness of not having Jesus in their lives. If I had known the Bible better a few years ago, I could have tried to help them know Jesus.

When the book of Ezra was written, the Israelites were coming back from Babylon after living as captives. Their children no longer knew God's law. Ezra felt called to help get Israel back on track, but instead of just teaching others about God's law, he spent time studying it himself. He made sure he understood it before trying to tell others about it.

We can all learn a lot from Ezra's example. It's really important that we take time to study God's Word and know it. Then we can be better witnesses to our friends. —Tim

What About You?

1) If someone asked you a tough question about the Bible, would you know how to find the answer?

2) Think of some questions non-Christians might have about God. Then search your Bible and talk with your parents or youth pastor to find some answers.

3) Ask God to help you live out the things you learn as you read your Bible.

One of my friends wasn't a Christian, but she knew I was. Without my knowing it, she was watching me to see what this whole Christianity thing was all about. One day, she told me she'd been paying attention to the way I treated people. She said one of my best traits was that I never hated anyone, or at least never acted like I did.

From that day on, she began to talk to me more about my faith. She was hesitant to become a Christian, but eventually, she gave her life to the Lord!

I feel fortunate that God used me as an example of the love Christians have for other people. Whenever we show our love to our friends and family, we show people that our relationship with Christ is based on love. And there's not a person in the world who doesn't need love.

God tells us to love others so that they'll see his love in us. When we show God's love to people, powerful things can happen. Just ask my friend! —Mindy

What About You?

1) What are some of the ways other Christians have shown you God's love?

2) Think of a person at your school who could use a dose of God's love. What can you do to show love to this person?

3) Ask God to help you love others.

There's a guy in my youth group who is a strong Christian. Lots of people, including me, really look up to him. Whenever I see him do something that shows his love for God, I think, That's so cool! I want to be like that. I've learned a lot from him.

It's great to have a role model, someone who shows you how to live out your faith. That's what my friend does for me, so now I'm trying to do the same thing for other people. I really try to show how important my faith is by how I live and what I say. Now I have the courage to talk to my best friend about God, because I want her to see that my faith really means something. She's not a Christian yet, but I hope she will be soon!

God wants everyone to know him. So if you can be a role model to someone else, do it. And if you need a role model to help your faith grow, find one. Having someone to look up to made a big difference for me. —Rebecca

What About You?

1) Who are some of your spiritual role models? What can you learn from them?

2) Find someone in your family, your church, or your school whose faith you really admire. Ask that person to help you grow in your faith.

3) Ask God to help you find a great Christian role model.

Truth to Share

Other passages to read and study:

Romans 3:23
   we've all sinned

Isaiah 64:6
   no one is good enough

Romans 6:23
   sin separates us from God

Romans 5:6-8
   God made a way

Romans 10:9-13
   confess and repent

1 John 1:9
   God will forgive

2 Corinthians 5:17
   he makes you new

Romans 8:38-39
   we can't lose his love

1) What does this passage tell you about salvation?

2) Put this passage into your own words. How does it relate to your own salvation experience?

3) Ask God to enable you to understand what it means to be a Christian and pray for opportunities to share that with others.

4) Do you have questions about what you've read? Write those down. Then ask a Christian friend or youth leader how they would answer your questions. Take note of their answers in your journal or notebook.

5) Using the devotions in "Faith Builders" as models, write your own devotion based on the passage.

The devotions in this section were taken from The NIV Teen Devotional Bible (Zondervan). Featuring 260 devotions written by students, this Bible also offers help for personal and spiritual growth.

Read more from 'Devotionals'

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