Joyce Gleave, an art teacher from Mustang, Oklahoma, had a burden for the spiritual welfare of the 600 students she taught in the public school. So while on a trip to the Holy Land, she purchased 600 tiny wooden crosses. But when she discovered that she would not be allowed to give the crosses to her students in the classroom, her witnessing opportunity seemed doomed.

Instead of giving up, Joyce embarked on an ambitious project. Armed with her crosses and gospel tracts, she visited every one of her students in their homes—all 600 of them! “Many parents were moved to tears that I cared for their child,” she said of her visits.

The life of the apostle Paul points out that witnessing for Jesus Christ is neither easy nor popular. In his case, he was sometimes told by city officials or opposing groups to get out of town. Yet Paul still found a way to tell the story of Jesus—even at the loss of his freedom.

A world trying to eliminate Christianity is one that needs Jesus Christ more than ever. As we face obstacles in our efforts to tell others about our faith, let’s look for new ways to spread the gospel. We may need to witness smarter.