Fred Rogers once said, “There are three ways to ultimate success: The first way is to be kind. The second way is to be kind. The third way is to be kind.”

Rogers understood the importance of promoting kindness.

As a child, I remember watching his beloved children’s program, “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,” which aired from 1968 to 2001.

Rogers was a Presbyterian minister who felt called to minister to families and children through television. He wanted to reach as many people as possible through an educational program based on Christian values, such as love, acceptance, and kindness.

At a time when racial inequality was overtly accepted in America, Rogers invited a Black character on his show and treated him with kind deference. He lived out his message of kindness to others. And as a result, his kindness made others want to be around him and to tune into his iconic program for decades. His legacy has been tied to his kindness.

We live in a world where kindness is in short supply. But as Christians, we get to be purveyors of kindness. How we live our lives can attract people to the gospel of Jesus Christ; and that starts with being kind to others.

You and I may not have a television program promoting kindness, but the Bible is clear: we can lead by example.