Recalling a Race to Judgment - My Thoughts Exactly!

Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment. ~ Will Rogers

Hard to argue with that. Or the fact that we must be slow learners, because we continually make decisions without the benefit of complete information. As an example, consider the dessert pictured above. It looks delicious. But you don’t even know the flavor. Or whether you’re allergic to any of the ingredients. On the other hand, you might take a pass on a serving of chocolate pie that is sloppily plated, even if your friend assures you it’s scrumptious. We can’t always trust our eyes, nor the opinions of others. However, neither should we assume our judgment is accurate before we exercise due diligence.

Here's One of My Surprises

My mother graduated from a West Tennessee high school in the first half of the 20th century. It was a small class by today’s standards, but it included some fine people. One of those became fairly well known. Well, that’s what my mother mentioned every time her class had a reunion, and Fred Brenning Craddock was able to attend. I didn’t explore his history early on, but I did listen to some of his sermons on CDs, and Mother gave me a few of his books to read, as well. And then I heard that he would be preaching in a suburb of Nashville, not too far from where I lived at the time.

I decided to go and hear him for myself. You are sure to agree with me when I assert that we don’t always agree with our family members’ opinions, regardless of their level of intelligence. Well, I got my comeuppance that day. Dr. Craddock was indeed a highly engaging speaker. Some would say he was a sleeper–a person whose appearance doesn’t lend itself to high notoriety, but later reveals himself to be extremely talented.

And Here's is How I Learned the Scope of My Error in Judgment

So, yes, I learned on my birthday in the year of our Lord 2011 that Dr. Fred Craddock (as he was known outside our little town) was an amazing speaker. Also, that hundreds of people (somewhat more than the maximum capacity, fire safety-wise) traveled to hear him that day. But as enlightening as that day was, it paled in comparison to the jaw-drop I experienced at the Philly airport a few years later.

My husband and I were traveling together and, as usual, he was making conversation with other travelers at our gate. When the young lady he was speaking with said she was a divinity student at Vanderbilt, Andy elbowed me, “Why don’t you ask her if she knows your mother’s friend?” So I did. “Have you ever heard of Fred Craddock?”

She reached into her backpack and pulled out a textbook. “This guy?”

I don’t recall which of Dr. Craddock’s books she held up, but yes, that was the guy. She explained that in the 80s, Dr. Craddock had revolutionized preaching. His modus operandi was to tell stories to get his point(s) across, and that method was much more persuasive than some others from that era.* Dr. Craddock was even more impressive than I could have imagined. While he was a low-key speaker and small in stature, he was incredibly effective both in the pulpit and in the classroom. Still, those achievements were only part of his legacy. *The write up in the Christian Century speaks to this more effectively than I can.

In Closing (no, really)

The Craddock Center, named after its founder, began helping the needy more than two decades ago. The seeds for that non-profit began when Dr. Craddock received a distress call from an employee of a local Head Start program. She wanted to assist a homeless woman with five children (one as yet unborn) and no way to provide for them. And so it began. Today, The Craddock Center has a mission to help underserved Appalachian children with books and programs. When I say underserved, I don’t mean they don’t have new shoes in the spring, but rather, the parents have no way to purchase anything that isn’t necessary. For example, books might be considered a luxury. At one point, I heard that an average child in the U.S. has 100 books by age six. The average Appalachian child might not have any. That statistic may no longer be true, but even if Appalachian children are five times better off now than when I read that statistic, it’s disturbing.

Among other programs, the Center distributes donated books, mittens, and scarves. Here is its mission statement: The Craddock Center exists to enrich the lives of the people of Southern Appalachia through programs of education, cultural enhancement, and service, encouraging communities, families, and children to advance educationally, socially, and spiritually.

When I say that I’m recalling a race to judgment, do not imagine that I ever thought Dr. Craddock unworthy of respect. I just didn’t recognize the magnitude of my error until I realized the ripples he left in his wake. Good ones. The kind we would all wish to leave.

To learn more, check out the Times Courier article from 2021. You can also access the Craddock Center site for organization details and donation options.