Talking With A Neighbour

I referenced Mister Rogers’ Neighbourhood in a post recently, and I’ve just been watching a full episode on YouTube. It’s quite soothing. His voice is gentle and kind, and there’s no flashing lights and CGI. There is imagination, and kindness. Also interesting lessons to learn!
I can’t think of a kids’ program today that is so simple, but with different layers. Admittedly, it’s been a long time since I watched shows for small children 🙂
I didn’t grow up watching this, as American kids seem to have, so I probably don’t have such a deep appreciation as I’ve seen in comments and articles online. What I have seen shows a kind, gentle man, who spoke to children with respect and helped them to navigate a sometimes scary and difficult world. I’m well past childhood and I felt soothed as I watched…
He spoke to children about real world problems, but in a way that they could understand, and speaking to the fears that a small child might have. Some of these are just as applicable today, whether about death,

divorce,

the violence on TV (with a little word to the adults),

or just the importance of recognising your own feelings, and apologising where necessary.

There’s also this clip, showing mothers breastfeeding, which I can’t see being filmed today… It’s a wonderful way to show children what breasts are for, though, without making it strange or uncomfortable.

Could there be a TV show made today that helps children in a similar way?
…or – how about we as adults decide to be that kind of neighbour?

Published in: on June 25, 2020 at 8:00 am  Leave a Comment  
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Who Is My Neighbour?

As an Australian, I was not brought up watching Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. Fred Rogers was a Presbyterian minister, trained in music, who spent most of his life living out his mission to children through the medium of television. His show focused on love and kindness, but also covered difficult topics (such as death, war or divorce) with honesty and in a way that children could comprehend.
In 1969, even though the Civil Rights Act of 1964 had supposedly ended segregation in public places, some places were still opposed to desegregation. These included some public pools. In May of that year, an episode of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood showed a short clip where a black character (Officer Clemmons), who is also a policeman, is invited to cool his feet in a children’s wading pool.Mister Rogers is already enjoying the cool water, and when Officer Clemmons declines the invitation because he doesn’t have a towel, Mister Rogers says they can share his. It’s hard to find a good clip of it, but here’s the best I could find –

Not all of us are good at physically speaking loudly. We can all “speak” loud and clear in our own ways, though, even if it sounds quiet and unassuming. Fred Rogers knew exactly what he was saying here, and used his voice the best way he could.
Years later they recreated the scene. This time Mister Rogers took the towel and dried Officer Clemmons’ feet himself, echoing Jesus’ washing of the disciples’ feet in John 13. It’s something we don’t see much of in the church anymore. Perhaps we could stand to look again at the words and actions of the Servant King…

Back to the original question – who is my neighbour?

25 Just then a religion scholar stood up with a question to test Jesus. “Teacher, what do I need to do to get eternal life?”
26 He answered, “What’s written in God’s Law? How do you interpret it?”
27 He said, “That you love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and muscle and intelligence—and that you love your neighbor as well as you do yourself.”
28 “Good answer!” said Jesus. “Do it and you’ll live.”
29 Looking for a loophole, he asked, “And just how would you define ‘neighbor’?”
30-32 Jesus answered by telling a story. “There was once a man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho. On the way he was attacked by robbers. They took his clothes, beat him up, and went off leaving him half-dead. Luckily, a priest was on his way down the same road, but when he saw him he angled across to the other side. Then a Levite religious man showed up; he also avoided the injured man.
33-35 “A Samaritan traveling the road came on him. When he saw the man’s condition, his heart went out to him. He gave him first aid, disinfecting and bandaging his wounds. Then he lifted him onto his donkey, led him to an inn, and made him comfortable. In the morning he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take good care of him. If it costs any more, put it on my bill—I’ll pay you on my way back.’
36 “What do you think? Which of the three became a neighbor to the man attacked by robbers?”
37 “The one who treated him kindly,” the religion scholar responded.
Jesus said, “Go and do the same.”
Luke 10:25-37 (The Message)

Published in: on June 7, 2020 at 1:12 am  Comments (1)  
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