Does My Teacher Believe in the Jesus? Helping Children Recognize Love Through What We Say and Do
- Tearri Rivers
- 11 minutes ago
- 4 min read
Children notice more than we sometimes realize.
They notice when our words are soft or sharp.
They notice when our faces are calm or frustrated.
They notice when we listen, and they notice when we rush past their little hearts.
In the companion reel, Moxie asks a very honest question:
“Does my teacher believe in Jesus?”
It is a childlike question, but it opens the door to something very important for early childhood educators to reflect on. Whether a classroom is faith-based or not, children are constantly learning what love looks like through the adults who care for them.
Love is revealed by what we say.
Love is something children experience through our actions.
Love Is Not Just a Feeling
In early childhood education, we often talk about kindness, empathy, patience, and self-control.
These are not just classroom values.
They are heart skills.
Love is not simply a warm feeling we have toward children. Love is shown in how we respond when a child is struggling, melting down, refusing to share, crying at drop-off, or testing limits.
Love looks like kneeling down instead of towering over.
Love sounds like correction without shame.
Love makes room for teaching, not just reacting.
Love protects, guides, and tells the truth with gentleness.
Children may not have the words to explain everything they feel, but they can often sense when love is present—and when it is missing.
What We Say Reveals What Is in Our Hearts
Our words matter because our words reveal what is happening inside of us.
When a child makes a mistake, what comes out of our mouth teaches them something. It may teach them that mistakes are opportunities to learn, or it may teach them that mistakes make them hard to love.
When a child is slow to transition, emotional, or overwhelmed, our response reveals whether we are leading from patience or frustration.
This does not mean educators must be perfect. No teacher is perfect. But it does mean we must be willing to reflect.
Do my words build up or tear down?
Do my corrections help a child grow, or do they cause shame?
Do my actions show children that they are loved even when they need guidance?
Children are listening with their ears, but they are also learning with their hearts.
Children Can Recognize Love
Even young children can begin to recognize love through what they see and experience.
They may not say, “My teacher is showing patience,” but they can feel safe when patience is practiced.
They may not say, “My teacher is using self-control,” but they can notice when an adult stays calm.
They may not say, “My teacher is loving like Jesus,” but they can experience care, kindness, forgiveness, and gentleness through the way an educator leads.
That is why our daily interactions matter so much.
The classroom becomes a place where children learn more than routines and academic skills.
They learn what love looks like in real life.
Letting Our Light Shine in the Classroom
Jesus teaches us that our actions can point others to the Father.
Matthew 5:15-17 (NIV) says:
“Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.”
For early childhood educators who follow Jesus, this is a powerful reminder.
Our light is not only seen in what we teach with words, but in how we love with our actions.
The way we comfort a crying child can be light.
The way we redirect behavior can be light.
The way we apologize when we are wrong can be light.
The way we speak life over children can be light.
When children experience love that is patient, kind, truthful, and gentle, they are seeing something that can point them beyond us.
Helping Children See Jesus Through Love
In the reel, Moxie learns that she does not have to know if her teacher believes in Jesus.
Her job is to obey Jesus by loving others the way He loves her.
That is a lesson for children, but it is also a lesson for adults.
We do not point children to Jesus through perfect classrooms, perfect lesson plans, or perfect behavior systems. We point them to Jesus when our words and actions reflect His love.
Early childhood educators have a beautiful opportunity each day to model love in action.
Every greeting, correction, song, story, transition, and conversation can become a moment where children learn what is in a heart.
A Reflection for Educators
As you care for young children, take time to ask:
What do my words reveal about my heart?
What do my actions teach children about love?
Do children feel safe, seen, and valued in my care?
Am I helping children understand that love is something we do, not just something we say?
Children are watching.
Children are listening.
Children are learning what love looks like.
May our classrooms be places where love is not just spoken about, but practiced daily through patience, kindness, truth, gentleness, and grace.
In this reel, Moxie asks whether her teacher believes in Jesus and learns that she can still be a light by obeying Jesus’ command to love others the way He loves her. Through this simple conversation, children and educators are reminded that love in action can point others to Jesus and glorify the Father.
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