Loving Yourself & Loving Your Neighbor

Wednesday, April 23, 2025
written by Rev. Leah Quarles

I’m excited for this Sunday, (April 27) at church. This is Pinnacle’s first year observing a Mr. Rogers’ Day. The Office of Christian Formation within our denomination writes, “Fred Rogers was an ordained minister of word and sacrament for the PC(USA) and is a notable public figure whose work around peace and reconciliation are worth remembering. Rogers was also a pioneer in the world of Christian education and formation of young children. March 20th was his birthday and the day that the PC(USA) has chosen to highlight all we can learn from his work.” 

At Pinnacle we are celebrating this day about a month later. Why? We are excited to partner this day, when we focus on the work of loving our neighbors, with the Rise Against Hunger meal packing event. Our prayer is that we are inspired from worship to go right into service. We’ll be packing 20,000 meals for the hungry around the world. 

I’ve always been a fan of Mr. Rogers. I remember sitting on the living room floor watching the show. Mr. Rogers entered, changing his shoes and of course his sweater. With a warm and calm demeanor, he taught us how to love ourselves and to love others. He let us know that emotions are normal and OK to feel - it’s how we use them that is important. He reminded us to look for the helpers in scary times and to thank the workers behind the scenes making life more comfortable for many of us. 

As a child, these lessons felt so easy. Of course we should love our neighbors. Of course we should say please and thank you. Of course everyone is the same inside, no matter how we look outside. As an adult, I have come to understand it’s anything but easy. As common sense as it seems - it’s not common practice in our society. My heart breaks as I see our world tearing others apart. From online bullying and attacks at places of worship. To hearing my husband’s experiences working in a blue collar field in Arizona - people looking down on him and treating him less than because of his work. 

Reverend Fred Rogers once said: 

“It’s very important to look inside yourself and find that loving part of you.
That’s the part that you must take good care of and never be mean to.
Because that’s the part of you that allows you to love your neighbor.
And your neighbor is anyone you happen to be with at any time in your life.” 

There is a saying “hurt people, hurt people.” I wonder if we are so bad at loving our neighbors because we are bad at loving ourselves. Maybe after a rough day at work, we turn around and return the treatment to a person we have more power over. Or perhaps someone in our lives hasn’t loved us well, and we’ve embodied the things that were said to us as truth. Perhaps the inner critic we hear inside our minds, is louder than the loving words of people like Fred Rogers or even our Creator who says we are ‘fearfully and wonderfully made’ (Psalm 139:14). 

If this resonates at all with you, I wonder if you would take the time to watch some reruns of Mr. Rogers. No one needs to know. Let your inner child come out. Sit on the floor. Watch a few episodes and remind yourself that you are worthy to be loved and that you are also responsible for loving your neighbor. Allow it to soften your heart in the ways it’s been hardened from our world. 

For those of us who are familiar with Scriptures, I know you will hear familiar lessons because after all, his television show was Mr. Rogers’ ministry. He took what he learned from God’s Word and brought it to the masses and he started with children.