Emphasis Preaching Journal

Fred Craddock tells of a vacation encounter in the Smoky Mountains of eastern Tennessee years ago that moved him deeply. He and his wife took supper one evening in a place called The Black Bear Inn. One side of the building was all glass, open to a magnificent mountain view. Glad to be alone, the Craddocks were a bit annoyed when an elderly man ambled over and struck up a nosy conversation: “Are you on vacation?” “Where are you from?” “What do you do?”