David was one of the most learned theologians I have had the privilege of knowing. He was a seminary professor and a Bible college president. He wrote a number of learned but readable books. He was a member of various denominational faith and life boards. When a particularly difficult theological issue arose, it was fascinating to watch the rest of the board automatically turn and look to David to provide the answer.

David was also a man of great integrity. He did the work to earn a doctorate in Old Testament studies, but when the divinity school insisted he change the contents of his dissertation to suit the school’s more liberal theology, he refused and walked away. He started over and earned a doctorate in New Testament studies from another university. He was once asked to join a group of scholars working on a new translation of the Bible but refused when he found out the translators would be housed in a hotel in Hawaii while they did their work. He did not believe it was possible to properly translate the Bible while living in a luxury hotel.

What was less well known was that David had a keen sense of humor, which only came into view in private settings. One of the stories he told in such settings concerned a famous and highly regarded theologian whom David had studied under. The students one day asked this professor what he did just before he went on stage to preach. They were expecting a devout and profoundly theological answer. His answer was, “I check my fly.” He knew that an open fly would distract attention from whatever theological truths he was about to preach.

I have often thought of that story. Looking over the North American church in the last few decades and considering the many scandals that have marred that history, I wish that, before undertaking public ministry, many more preachers had “checked their fly.” It is far too easy for sinful human beings to focus their attention on lofty theological, ecclesiastical, and philosophical concepts and forget that the gospel needs to be put into practice in everyday human life, with all of its mundane aspects and earthly temptations. The most profound theological constructs will fall on deaf ears if they are not backed up by practical integrity.