Apologetics has often been treated as a 'tool' in the service of evangelism, one that can be picked up or put down as the occasion requires. I believe this characterization is mistaken. Asking "when should I use apologetics?" is often depicted as a question akin to "when should I use a hammer?" I believe a better analogy is "when should I use my hands?" For most of us, hammering is rarely required, but we use our hands almost every minute of every day. My goal is not to provide an apologetics 'toolbox' of talking points, pre-wrapped answers or polished formulas for you to memorize; I am interested in communicating a fundamental way of thinking about the world and all of our activities in it, and exploring apologetics as the vindication of a Christian vision for living in God's created order.