Jesus, My Lifeguard

Spotted in: Clearwater Beach, Florida

I've often wondered about the actual value (or lack thereof) that "gimmick" and "novelty" Christian hoodies bear. I witnessed a bicycle and trolley cab in Clearwater Beach, the operator of which bore the sweater pictured above. Does it accomplish anything?

My reaction, at first, I am not proud to admit, was doubt. "Is this person really a Christian, or just a man who wants to drum up more business from Christian tourists? Is it just a gimmick?" It made me feel uncertain, though as a Christian, it was also pleasing to see this representation of Christ. I was reminded, though, of one non-Christian I once spoke to who very vocally said, "There's no realistic way a person can walk on water! It's ridiculous!" That is the question I pose: do such things make a joke out of our faith? Do we just look foolish?

Certainly, our faith may seem foolish on the surface, but the very nature of the accusation leveraged against our logic is what arms us to engage with it; "there's no realistic way!" just begs to be answered with an absolutely supernatural explanation. That means that hoodies like this, if they can be leveraged as conversation starters, can be exploited - or in other words, redeemed - for the purpose of evangelism.