On Monday I had the fantastic experience of attending a Cleveland Cavaliers playoff basketball game. The Cavs are currently in a tight best of seven series against the Boston Celtics and game 4 was on Monday night with the Celtics leading 2-1. After Monday’s game, the Cavs had tied the series 2-2 (they have since lost one game and back to one game down).
Monday morning I was getting dressed and I realized something as I was pulling my LeBron James number 23 jersey over my white long sleeve Cavs t-shirt. It was clear that I was a fan of the Cavs and specifically LeBron James. It was clear that I didn’t care much what people thought of me considering the jersey is probably about 2 sizes to big as shirt sizes go.
What’s interesting is that as I was donning my paraphernalia of fan-hood, I realized that I was more excited to wear this LeBron James jersey then I was any T-Shirt that expressed my faith in Jesus Christ.
Let me explain…I decided earlier this week that I was going to take every Tuesday to attempt tackle an issue of popular culture and discuss it and how it relates to faith. Well…some people would say that sports is not a valid part of popular culture the way that music, movies and art are. With over 20,000 people pouring into an jam-packed arena every night, with sounds louder than that of a jet engine, I would say that for those 20,000+ sports would be a very valid part of pop culture.
Which brings me to my main purpose for writing.
I am not a bigger fan of LeBron James than I am of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is my first choice between the two…that’s easy. What’s interesting is that I am more willing to wear a LeBron James jersey than I am most “Christian T-Shirts” I see. It’s not that I don’t like wearing my faith where all can I see…I want EVERYBODY to know that I follow Christ and hopefully I can make such an impact that they are DRAWN to Christ because of Christ living in me.
What I don’t like is the way other people respond to the Christian message on a lot of material that shares the Christian message.
I saw a woman wearing a shirt yesterday that said the word “LOST” and it looked very similar to the LOST logo from different advertisements I’ve seen from the popular ABC show. I liked the shirt, I liked the message, I didn’t like how I would have to explain the shirt to someone who didn’t understand its intended message.
Maybe that’s the point, maybe the idea is to create conversation and if that’s the case, great! I hope the discussion is effective and engaging.
Don’t get me wrong, there are some amazing shirts that create some amazing, open conversation about very important issues. Check out To Write Love On Her Arms or this site to see what I mean.
And this isn’t a post about “shirts”. It’s a post about how followers of Christ have a wonderful message that they should share with their lives first. Drawing people to ask questions and shake their heads in disbelief at the selfless, sacrificing, passionate, heart-felt love they feel emanating from deep within the followers of Christ.
What do you think about all this?
Any thoughts?
1 response so far ↓
seven // May 18, 2008 at 5:57 am
I think Christian t-shirts are always so freaking cheesy. Take a verse out of context, write it out in a crazy font, add a weird picture, and VOILA! Christian t-shirt.
I also think that part of the problem is that shirts with agendas are weird. If something is so important to me, I’ll talk about it, ask other people what they think, blog about it, whatever, but I most likely won’t wear it on a shirt. Like, if the shirt was what was important, would someone lose a chance at salvation because I didn’t wear my WWJD t-shirt today or was wearing a hoodie over it? It’s just a shirt. I should be sharing Christ through my words and actions first and foremost, because if I’m not, it doesn’t matter what my shirt says. People won’t believe it anyway.
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