Monday Morning Manna: Doctor or Not

I had never noticed it before. I recently paid a visit to a medical doctor’s office. When he entered the exam room, he greeted me with, “Dr. Crawford! What’s up with you today?” Hmmm! A Dr. greeting another Dr. Several years ago, we spent a few days with a missionary family in another country. After hearing her parents refer to me numerous times as Dr. Dan, their little girl asked, “Are you really a doctor?” Embarrassed, the parents assured her that I was. To which she replied, “Well, I have this pain in my arm . . .” No, I’m not the kind of doctor that can do you any good with your physical ailments, other than praying for you. So, what’s all this talk about Dr. degrees and not wanting America’s future first-lady, Jill Biden to be called Dr. Biden, because she is not a medical doctor? If a person has participated in the seminars, written the papers, done the research, performed the project, written the dissertation or project report, paid their money, and successfully endured the oral exam, all with a fully accreted institution of higher learning, they have earned the right to use the title Dr. Personally, it matters little to me if you call me Dan, Bro. Dan, Dr. Dan, Bro. Crawford, Rev. Crawford, Dr. Crawford, Professor Crawford, Pastor Dan, Dad or Bawpaw (limited to grandkids). All of those titles were given, granted or earned, and I answer to all of them. Actually, as long as I’m “called” by God’s name (2 Chronicles 7:14), you can take your pick of the titles. Come to think of it, when God calls, no title is needed. To each his own, but if you’ve received a title, you can use it, regardless of the opinion of a few jealous journalists.

Dr. Dan Crawford, Senior Professor at Southwestern Baptist Seminary, is the WestCoast Baptist Association’s Spiritual Life & Leadership Mentor. Follow Dan on Twitter @DrDanRC and Facebook www.facebook.com/dan.crawford.