Fourth Sunday of Easter

If you haven't figured out the theme for today yet, 

than you can be assured,

it is sheep.

Many of the passages we hear this morning deal with metaphors centered around

God being our shepherd, and us humans acting like sheep.

Sheep are not always known for being the brightest,

or the most workable animals. 

They largely eat and slowly mill about all day long.

They like to sleep.

They can be rather stubborn, they are community animals, 

and they don't always come when they are called.

Which, on a metaphorical level, puts them in great stead with cats and humans.

Eat, sleep, wander around, stubborn, relationship centered but only on their own terms...

yep, that about sums up cats, sheep, and humans.

In 1995, a movie called Babe debuted, about a pig that tries to be a sheepdog.

While the overall movie has a number of themes and lessons, 

there is one important one about diversity and respect that happens

when Babe, the pig, is trying to train to be a sheepdog.

Fly, the female sheepdog is trying to get Babe to herd the sheep by running around them 

making loud noises and nipping their heels,

because that is how she and Rex, the male sheepdog, herd the sheep.

However, it doesn't work for Babe. 

Partially because he can't bark, and partially because he is too caring.

Fly tells him, you're trying to treat the sheep like equals, but you have to remember they are inferior.

But Babe disagrees. 

So he goes over to the sheep herd and starts talking to them.

He asks them how he could get them to move into the pasture without barking at them.

The sheep are quite impressed that Babe even considers talking and asking them,

so they talk with him, tell him their side of the story, and they give him the secret sheep password. (Baa ram ewe, baa ram ewe, to your breed, your fleece, your clan be true. Sheep be true. Baa ram ewe.)

Eventually, the sheep walk orderly through the gate without any barking, running, or biting.

Babe offered the sheep respect

and he was able to create a relationship with them.

I have found it quite true that the same goes for humans.

When you treat people with respect, you can have a relationship with them

and they are more likely to be persuaded to do what you want them to do.

Jesus knew this a long time ago.

Over two thousand years ago, Jesus told the parable of the Good Shepherd for the first time.

And though we get different versions of what it means to be the Good Shepherd,

in all of the versions, the Good Shepherd respects the sheep.

I will say, it was not something that I had noticed before in the passage,

but Jesus is very clear:

The Good Shepherd only enters the pasture by the gate.

He uses the proper entrance and exit. 

The thieves and robbers climbed in over the fence, 

they sought to circumvent the respectful and natural way of doing things.

While Jesus is talking about sheep,

this also applies to human dealings.

Jesus cares about us enough to go about things the proper way. Others care more about themselves and they will use whatever means necessary to get in without taking the proper care. We certainly know this is true in today's world. We can see the way people try to coerce others or manipulate them. We see people going through back doors, back channels to do things they shouldn't, despite the gate being open. However, the front gate requires respect and transparency about what one is doing, and not everyone is willing to share those.

This is one of many ways in which we know when people are not following Jesus,

they try to come at us, not from the front gate, but through other channels.

In our baptisms, we vow a vow to respect the dignity of every human being. 

In the Book of Common Prayer, page 305, its right there after the Apostle's Creed,

"Will you strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being?"

Sadly, this is not a vow everyone has to make, and is one many people, even many Christians, do not keep.

We allow prejudice, fear, privilege, holding onto our own rights, convenience and a whole host of other things to keep us from respecting other people. 

When Aretha Franklin died in late 2018, there were many who pointed to her song RESPECT as a cry and indication of the continued lack of respect women, minorities, and others receive in our culture. 

However, Jesus calls us on a different path.

Jesus calls us to follow him

on a path of respect and love,

not only for God and ourselves,

but also for all of our neighbors.

Including those we might not otherwise respect. 

Jesus calls us as the Good Shepherd

who lays down his life for his sheep.

We are called to follow on his path,

laying down our lives in love and respect for all those around us.

Now is definitely a time we are being called to set aside our lives and care for others. 

We can see in so many ways that our decisions and actions make a difference to other's lives in a very tangible and immediate way. 

When we reach out with love and respect, our relationship with them grows.

When we reach out with caring arms, Jesus is known in the community 

and his Good News is shared.

We being called by Jesus our Good Shepherd,

respectfully and lovingly,

through all the suffering in the world,

to go forth in the world and share what we know.

God loves us and Jesus cares for us.

Amen.