"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." – Fred Rogers

Just a cursory look at the world in which we live gives a picture that looks very little like the kindness that Mr. Rogers encouraged his viewers to strive for as a measure of success. But what about the church? Shouldn't the family of God be a place where kindness and compassion and understanding are in abundance?

The simple answer is: of course it should be. Yet, in the third chapter of James, the writer felt compelled to urge believers to be careful about the way they use their tongues; the damage words can cause. Magnify that truth by ten-fold when we consider the damage that can be done with the "virtual tongue" of social media, text messaging, and email. Having the figurative barrier of digital distance often emboldens people to show even less kindness toward others because of a false sense of safety and security.