In theory......

My family and I gathered around the dining table the other night for supper. It was a favorite meal of our children – spaghetti with meat sauce. The meal also included Italian bread - lightly buttered - and a small serving of salad on the kids’ plates. They dove into the spaghetti and bread but hardly touched the salad. As they asked for seconds on the spaghetti, we told them that they needed to eat their salad before seconds. We got the usual complaints and groans. My wife mentioned that the salad had a touch of a sweet French dressing on it to make it yummier. At that point the kids looked at the salad, even smelled the salad, then….. Well, then, rather than eating the salad, they began talking about the salad. “It certainly looks colorful,” my seven-year old son said. His five-year old brother followed with “The lettuce looks very green today.” Finally, two-year old sister chimed in, ‘My salad is pretty.” Lots of commentary, no consumption. The thought entered my head at that moment. “They’ve become theoretical eaters.”

Yes “Theoretical Eaters.” What a concept! They understood the concept of eating salad with French dressing, discussed its value and design, enjoyed looking at it as a compliment to the other items on the plate. Eating via concept but not putting the salad in their mouths.

Theoretical Eating is not a new idea. Well, at least the theoretical part. I believe it got planted in my head after watching a show on the History Channel. It spoke of a scientist who was considered a “theoretical physicist.” He had phenomenal ideas – in this case, how to use E=mc2 to bring create an atomic explosion – the foundation of what became the A-bomb. However, he apparently was not good at “lab work.” Amazing conceptual thinker but had to turn his ideas over to other physicists to put his theories into practice.

I’ve encountered “theoretical” persons in other realms of life:
· Theoretical Education – they understand the progress of their degree programs, know what they need to do to meet the requirements, and have ideas about careers. They know it all but just don’t “do” the work of a student to make it happen;
· Theoretical Faith – “Sure, pastor, you bet I believe in Jesus….” Said by many but not evidenced in daily life. As it says in James 2:14: “What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?”
· Theoretical Ice Cream – also known as “ice milk”;
· Theoretical Love – “Yes, honey, I love you. Didn’t I tell you that back at our wedding?”

And there’s one final entry: theoretical writing. I think of ideas to write and enter into my blog. Great ideas, brilliant concepts, entertaining episodes. But, between careers, kids, cats, and some occasional sleep, they often stay locked in thought rather than placed on paper.

The salad never was eaten nor did the kids get seconds on the main course. But if they can theoretically eat salad, can’t they do the same with spaghetti?