Monday Morning Devotion-July 20, 2020

A Beautiful Day

This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."  Psalm 118:24

            It's a beautiful day in this neighborhood,

            A beautiful day for a neighbor.

            Would you be mine?

            Could you be mine?

            I have always wanted to have a neighbor just like you!

            I 've always wanted to live in a neighborhood with you. 

            So, let's make the most of this beautiful day.

            Please won't you be my neighbor?

            Recognize those lyrics?  If you do, then you must have grown up watching the popular children's program: "Mister Rogers Neighborhood" on television.  Fred McFeely Rogers, from Latrobe, PA, was the host of this popular pre-school show for 33 years, (1968-2001).  He was a "television personality, musician, puppeteer, writer, producer and Presbyterian minister.  He earned a bachelor's degree in music from Rollins College in 1951."

(Wikipedia-Fred Rogers)  

            So why are we talking about a children's program on this week's devotion?  Well, first of all TLS and I recently saw the movie; "A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood" in which popular actor Tom Hanks, did a beautiful job of playing the role of Mr. Rogers, who passed away, due to stomach cancer on February 27, 2003 at the age of 74.  That reminded me of what a truly kind and caring person Mr. Rogers was.  And as I started reading a book on his life, I discovered a lot to share that can help us make each day a beautiful day. 

            Most folks probably aren't aware of the depth of Mr. Rogers' faith.  He is looked on as a friendly, kind-hearted man who connects well with young children.  He is able to take some of the simplest things in life and translate them into lessons that not only reach out to kids but grownups as well.

            For example, in explaining the essence of prayer to a young girl who asked him a question about prayer he said: "Now, you know prayer is asking for something and sometimes you get a yes answer and sometimes you get a no answer.'  He carefully explained.  "And just like anything else you might get angry when you get a no answer.  But God respects your feelings, and God can take your anger as well as your happiness.  So, whatever you have to offer God through prayer---it seems to me---is a great gift.  Because the thing God wants most of all is a relationship with you, yeah even as a child---especially as a child.  Look how Jesus loved the children who came around him."

            When Fred Rogers was five years old, he would visit a neighbor called Mama Bell.  He loved the toast sticks she made.  One day she asked him if he would like to learn how to make toast sticks.  He was delighted.  It consisted of putting the bread into the toaster, then you slowly butter it, put a little jam on it and carefully cut the toast into four long sticks.  It was a lesson that stuck with him for the rest of his life.

            Amy Hollingsworth, author of the book: "The Simple Faith of Mister Rogers:  Spiritual Insights from the World's Most Beloved Neighbor" became friends with him when she went to interview him.  They corresponded over the years, prayed for each other and often got together at various times.  She referred to these gifts of information, inspiration and sharing as "spiritual toast sticks."

            One of those toast stick gifts she learned was the importance of taking time i.e. the importance of silence.  She wrote: "It's no accident that each episode of Mister Rogers Neighborhood opens with a shot of a traffic light flashing in yellow caution mode.  It sends a message that it is time to slow down."

            His message was clear as he went through the ritual of replacing his dress shoes with sneakers and his suit coat with a cardigan.  Slow down and do things right. 

            He said: "It seems to me, though that our world needs more time to wonder and to reflect about what is inside and if we take time we can often go much deeper as far as our spiritual life is concerned than (we could) if there is constant distraction."

            Mr. Rogers said that sometimes it is important to just be quiet and think.  He believes it makes all the difference in the world. 

            In 1994 Rogers told the author in a conversation: "I'm so convinced that the space between the television set and the viewer is holy ground.  And what we put on the television can, by the Holy Spirit, be translated into what this person needs to hear and see, and without that translation it's all dross as far as I'm concerned."  That's why so many of the simple lessons learned in Mister Rogers Neighborhood have stayed with not only the children who saw them, over the years, but with their parents who were watching with them.

            Mr. Rogers also contended that not only is the space between the tv set and viewer holy ground but so is the ground between two people who pray for one another.  The Holy Spirit can convert those prayers as well even beyond words.

            Author Amy after writing about Mr. Rogers' spiritual toast sticks of the importance of taking time and appreciating silence, the indispensability of prayer, and the wondrous workings of the Holy Spirit in guiding our steps and translating the message another one was added.

It was the toast stick of honesty.  This one came out when a child asked him if he liked being famous, his response was:

            "I don't think of myself as somebody who's famous.  I'm just a neighbor who comes and visits children; (I) happen to be on television.  But I've always been myself.  I never took a course in acting.  I just figured that the best gift you could offer anybody is your honest self, and that's what I've done for a lot of years.  And thanks for accepting me exactly as I am."

            In 1997 Fred Rogers received a Lifetime Achievement Emmy.  In 1999 he was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame.  In 2002 he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom.  Over the years Mr. Rogers received over 40 honorary degrees.  In 2018 the documentary "Won't You Be My Neighbor" about his life grossed over $22 million and became the top-grossing biographical documentary ever produced.

            Fred Rogers said that when he was a young boy, he would see scary things and his Mother would say to him: "Look for the helpers.  You will always find people who are helping."

            Mister Rogers became one of those people who was always helping.

Prayer:  Thank you Lord for the legacy that Mr. Rogers left behind and the way the Holy Spirit used him to help others, especially the children and the way his example helps us today.    Amen!