A friend had some custom ball caps made. He gave me one. It’s a light, sandy beige in color. The color doesn’t call attention to the cap. It’s subtle.

And on the front it says “Jesus and Fred.” Not “Jesus and Me.” Not “Jesus and Power.” And not “Jesus and Politics.” Rather, it’s just “Jesus and Fred.” And many Western Pennsylvanians would know the “Fred” is Fred Rogers.

Fred Rogers was a Presbyterian pastor whose call to ministry went a very different
direction for the time. Mister Rogers was the writer, host, and producer for the children’s
television program “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” that ran from 1968-2001. The program
used simple costumes, puppets, and sets to encourage imagination. “Mister Rogers’
Neighborhood” invited children to identify experiences in life that were (and still are) rarely discussed: fear, loss, loneliness, sadness, worry. He also encouraged a way of life shaped by kindness, gentleness, acceptance, and honesty. Without directly saying it, Fred was talking about the way of Jesus.

Each program began with a red cardigan sweater, slippers, and the song “Won’t You
Be My Neighbor.” It was an invitation to friendship. And I think that may have been the
fundamental theological driver of the program: being a neighbor. Of course, when Jesus is asked what matters most to God, the answer given is, “Love God, and love your neighbor.” (Matthew 22:34-40; Mark 12:28-34; Luke 10:25-37). With gentleness and a
smile, Mister Rogers was the neighbor inviting children to friendship. And many children
knew it. That’s why the program lasted so long. Adults may have dismissed “Mister Rogers
Neighborhood” as too soft and sentimental. But children knew the power of kindness and
honesty and acceptance.

Every person I’ve ever talked to who met Fred Rogers says who you saw on television was who he really was. He had a gentle way of listening to you and making you feel like you really mattered to him. He really made “neighbors.” And that’s exceptional when we are so often disappointed to discover that people are less than we hoped.

Fred died in 2003 at 74 years old. And after 22 years his legacy continues. The 2019
movie starring Tom Hanks, “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood,” reminds us of that legacy.

“Jesus and Fred”; I like that. When so much of Christian faith is distorted by Christian Nationalism, self-righteousness, power, and fear, Fred Rogers’ way of being a neighbor is a different kind of power. And the beige color fits. It’s a different kind of statement. I believe Jesus would like it.

Wearing a Beige Ball Cap,
Glenn