Wednesday; April 22

The older I get and the more I watch the world, the more I appreciate Fred Rogers.  In days gone by, the man who was at the heart of Mr. Rogers Neighborhood and the inspiration for Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood may have seemed out of step with the “real” world.  He was soft-spoken, he didn’t draw attention to himself through slapstick comedy, nor would he demean or over exaggerate the role children played in the family or in the world.  He didn’t use bright lights and flashy graphics to teach his lessons, he merely played the role of the trusted adult in the lives of his television neighborhood.  I believe that history is kinder to Mr. Rogers than his contemporaries were to him.  During his popularity he was often portrayed as being out-of-step with society and distanced from reality, yet he remained true to his values and beliefs. 
Not only was Fred Rogers perceptive as to what it took to reach children, he also had great insight into life.  I came across a quote the other day that seems to show just how much he understood life and the opportunity it presented, ”As human beings, our job in life is to help people realize how rare and valuable each one of us really is, that each of us has something that no one else has – or ever will have – something inside that is unique to all time. It's our job to encourage each other to discover that uniqueness and to provide ways of developing its expression.”  Folks, I can’t say that I was drawn to his television show, but I am a fan of his awareness.
When I think about Fred Rogers, I am reminded of a comment by Jesus, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” (Matthew 5:8).  It is easy to want to be seen as cool.  It is tempting to want to be that person who can float between being popular in the world and also religiously relevant.  Yet, at the end of the day, it seems like what God is wanting from us is goodness and purity.  Let’s learn to value the people around us for who they are and respond to God’s call to us to be who we should be.
          Think About It!

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