What Skater Boi and Zacchaeus Teach Us About Unapologetic Faith

As you probably know, I like to preach from the Bible, but today I want to start somewhere a bit different: a song that doesn’t always get the theological attention it deserves — Sk8er Boi by Avril Lavigne.

He was a boy, She was a girl, Can I make it any more obvious? He was a punk, She did ballet, What more can I say? …He was a skater boy, She said, "See you later, boy", He wasn't good enough for her

For me, this song is pure nostalgia — the soundtrack to the end of my sixth form summer, sitting in living rooms with friends, MTV on in the background, thinking the world was ours. But beyond that, it tells a story we all know: social hierarchies, judgment, and missed opportunities because of what other people think. The girl in the song wants the boy but doesn’t pursue him because her peers look down on him. Later, she regrets it when she sees who he becomes.

Now, pivot with me to first-century Israel, where we meet Zacchaeus in Luke 19. Zacchaeus wasn’t a punk, he didn’t wear baggy clothes, and he didn’t skateboard — but in his society, he had skater boi vibes. He was a tax collector. That meant working with the occupying Romans and being despised by his own people as a traitor and profiteer. The crowd muttered, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner,” when Jesus invited himself to Zacchaeus’ house.

Here’s the fascinating thing: Zacchaeus steps out from the crowd. Literally. He climbs a sycamore tree so he can see Jesus. He doesn’t shrink from the gaze of the crowd or their judgment. He acts boldly to encounter the Lord. And Jesus sees him — not his occupation, not the assumptions of the crowd, but Zacchaeus himself. Jesus calls him by name and invites himself to his house. That personal encounter changes everything.

Afterward, Zacchaeus doesn’t quietly retreat. He speaks up, announces generous action, and probably does more for the poor than anyone accusing him ever did. The upside-down kingdom of God is on full display: the person society despises is chosen by God, transformed by encounter, and becomes an agent of justice and mercy.

So what does this mean for us today?

Zacchaeus and the skater boy are examples of people unashamedly themselves, refusing to conform to social pressure. And that’s a challenge we all face — not in a postmodern “be anything you want” way, but in being unapologetically Christian:

• Step out visibly: Speak and act on your faith where it matters. Don’t hide.

• Ignore the crowd’s judgment: Faith isn’t about social approval. Don’t let fear of ridicule hold you back.

• Respond generously and courageously: Like Zacchaeus, live out your faith actively. Help, give, and stand for justice.

• Be authentic, not performative: Don’t wear a “mask” for the world. Let your faith flow naturally from who you are.

Avril Lavigne says it beautifully in another song, Complicated:

You come over unannounced, Dressed up like you're somethin' else…I see the way you're acting like you're somebody else, Gets me frustrated.

In other words: stop pretending. Stop shaping yourself to please the crowd. Step out from the branches, take off the pretence, and let God see you as you are.

Faith is risky. It’s visible. It might even look foolish. But when we step out authentically — like Zacchaeus, like the skater boy — we allow God to transform our lives and the lives of those around us.

Be bold. Be authentic. Be unapologetically Christian. Because Jesus doesn’t just see who we are — he sees who we can become.