For the last few decades, if you went through Riggins, Idaho, you may run into a man named Jim wearing a t shirt proclaiming Jesus Christ. As often happened, when you tell him "nice shirt", he invariably says, "well thanks - I've got one just for you - what are you, a large?"
Jim then goes to his truck, pulls out a bin full of shirts, and offers you several shirts with various phrases all proclaiming Christ. I have seen him do this >100 times.
Each time he'd say something like, "You know when a muslim or hindu walks down the street, you know it by how they dress. Should be the same with us. He tells us 'don't be afraid' over and over in scripture. So don't. Proclaim that Jesus is Lord! You got nothing to worry about!" Then he'd give out the shirts.
Jim really means it and has lived unafraid for decades. He is an actual, real, out-of-a-storybook mountain man. As his sometimes sidekick, Jim and I have hunted elk on crazy mountain tops and canyons, caught salmon in wild rivers, and felled many many trees on ridges I could barely stand beside. Jim can fix anything, climb anywhere, hit any target. A navy veteran and the most American person I have known.
Jim even paid for a billboard over the 400-person town, "God Sets The Standards, We Need to Live By Them." He mounted huge sings all over town decrying inappropriate material in the local school and got them to change policy. For me, Jim has been a mentor and dear friend I admire deeply. My sons proudly wear his shirts to their California public school.
Yesterday Jim was killed in a freak logging accident. I mourn him but celebrate - today he is surely with the Lord of Lords. See you there pal.