STRICTLY THEORY

Cheers was a TV show in the '80s. The setting was Sam Malone's bar, Cheers, in Boston. One of the mainstay patrons was Cliff Clavin. Everybody loved Cliff. Sure, he was a little quirky, but aren't we all? Cliffy was always good for a laugh with his seemingly endless wealth of useless knowledge... his uncanny ability to muddy up virtually any situation by inserting himself and offering up heaps of unsolicited advice.

In one episode, Sam was having trouble with the plumbing in the restroom. Sammy emerged from the lavatory flustered and dirty saying, "Does anyone know anything about plumbing?" Cliffy readily offered, "Well Sammy, the Romans had quite an extensive working of aqueducts..." Sam cut Cliff off noting, "I need someone to FIX the pluming!" To which Cliff retorted, "Strictly theory Sammy."

The reality of Cliff: he was a picture of a sad little man, living a sad little life, surrounded by other escapists immersed in superficial community through an alternate reality at the bottom of a glass. At the end of the night, everyone always went their separate way.

Cliff is a great picture of the men in church today. Strictly theoretical experts.

Most have ideas, opinions, and suggestions on how others should do things while avoiding any personal responsibility or ownership. Some troll social media in search of something or someone to criticize or critique from the comfort of the local bar, coffee shop, or secluded bunker... "home office." Their theological courses, diplomas, and degrees are their badge and license. They can tell us all about the differences between Calvinism and Arminianism, varying views on justification, theology proper, prolegomena, methods of exegesis and interpretive Bible study, and even parse Hebrew and Greek.

While busy pointing, criticizing, scoffing... their marriages, families, and lives are falling apart. They point out that Hillsong and Bethel's music is the devil, why millennials are leaving, and exclaim the need to do things their way...  meanwhile, their own homes are in disarray. Their kids ignored and lonely, their spouse and marriage abandoned years ago... along with all God-ordained responsibilities as a man.

Like Cliff, their identity resides in fantastic avenues of escape from life: music, computers, games, tools, cars, golf, liquor, lagers, pilsners, and ales - rather than exclusively in Christ Jesus, their role in the Body, and promulgators of His mission.

It's easy to critique and criticize from the sideline. It's easy to point out all the problems in the church resulting from a pastor's "bad" decisions and "poor" leadership. Just don't ask these theorists to read Ephesians. Just don't point them to chapter five. Just don't read verse twenty-five:

"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her..."

Men, all the critiques and criticism, opinions and ideas, suggestions and proposals are of no value to the King or His kingdom when your household is in shambles. Only fools heed advice from chattering monkeys.

Are you really loving your wife just as Christ loved the church or is it strictly theory?

Let her answer.

Blessings,

-Kevin M. Kelley

aMostUnlikelyDisciple.com