Herding Cats June 18th, 2023
A popular expression in our culture expresses, in what is almost a funny way, the exasperation we face when we try to change the minds of people who have very individual preferences, goals, agendas, and initiatives, and who have no interest in change.
For those who try to command such individuals into a group with a common goal, often they throw their hands up in frustration, shouting, “Trying to work with this group is like herding cats!”
What does the phrase mean? Well, at first, we think it reflects on the “independent” nature of cats (often in comparison to dogs, who tend to behave more amicably and obediently).
Is anyone here a cat owner? If so, you know that cats cannot be coerced. It goes against their nature. The more you try to coerce a cat, the more it resists and demands to go its own way. You can try to entice it, lure it, or connect with it on an emotional level, but you likely won’t succeed in trying to command it. Now try to get 10 of these sweet, furry, independently minded creatures into a ‘herd’ to serve a common interest!
Not likely to happen!
Now cats are not the only creatures with minds of their own. Parents, you know the challenge of getting your toddler to eat broccoli or your teenager to clean his or her room. If the desire and motivation isn’t there, no amount of coercion will turn their heads to the benefits of either broccoli or cleaning!
When I was a kid, I discovered when my Mother first made cream of wheat cereal, that I just could not swallow it. There was just something about the texture, (okay, the lumpiness my young Mother could not fix), that made my throat close so much that I literally gagged on it. No matter how much encouraging, cajoling, enticing, or nudging my parents would do, I just could not eat that cereal.
Can you imagine how this little problem plays out in a family of four boys? Well, once my younger brothers discovered that if they didn’t want to do something, or didn’t like what was before them, all they had to do was make a gagging sound.
To this day, I still cannot eat cream of wheat. Sometimes, as my dear Mother discovered, you just have to let it go. You just cannot cater to the likes and dislikes of little boys any more than you can herd cats.
How do you deal with these kinds of parenting issues? You entice, you invite, you present, you explain. You show the benefits of doing that activity. You build a relationship with them, in which they trust you and believe you. And then you give it a shot – only to discover that it may happen. Or it may not.
Sometimes, when it doesn’t, we discover there’s a time when you just have to let it go.
So how, do you think, this works in a church..?
How should we as members of the family of God become an effective force for good as we step into the task of growing and strengthening the Kingdom of God in this place and during our time? How do we overcome unwillingness to embrace change; objections around finances; the fear of losing direction and control; the unknowns of the future? How should we engage people both in the church and those outside watching, to think collectively on some of the big topics that lie before us in the church?
How do you herd cats..? In human terms, it seems clear this is just an exercise in futility. It’s an exercise for failure.
Well, here’s a hint. It’s not about coercion. It’s not about control. It’s not about winning approval. It’s not about forcing an outcome. When people are running in different directions with different motivations and different intentions, it does no good to try to command them into a common direction.
In our reading today, Jesus addresses this as he tries to help his apostles understand how to guide people with little or no knowledge of Christ to be baptized in his name and to form communities of faith in which they would serve and honour each other, live with a common goal, and operate out of a brand-new ethic and identity.
This is a pretty tall order! Think about this for a moment.
Jesus was about to send out his twelve apostles to do just this. Here is what he told them. He infused them first with power to do the job. Then, he gave them the following advice, As you go, proclaim the good news. Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Give without payment. Take nothing with you, but be at the mercy of those with whom you seek to build a relationship. In every town or village, stay with someone. If that person welcomes you and your message, bless it. If they don’t, “shake off the dust from your feet,” as you leave, and move on.
Then he goes on to tell them they’re engaging in a dangerous mission. Many people are going to hate you! But don’t worry! You’ll be amply rewarded in the end for delivering this important message!”
And underneath all of this, Jesus also told them to not be afraid.
You see, in the days following Jesus’ death, there was still the sense of real danger for those who proclaimed Christ in word and action – they were hated and persecuted. They were sent out as sheep among wolves into a nation that was still under Roman rule. So any messengers were under the very real and very constant threat – the fear of which would seize them again and again.
Knowing this would be so before he left them, Jesus reassured them by saying, Don’t be afraid, you are of great worth in God’s eyes. Keep on proclaiming the good news of my love – you are surrounded by God’s care.
What Jesus is telling them is that they would not successfully “herd cats” by trying to control them, order them, command them, or control the outcome of their mission. They must instead “feed” them. They must instead build relationships, build trust, take nothing, but give people the spiritual food they need by healing, raising and feeding them, and proclaiming the good news of salvation.
What did Jesus tell Peter, who would be the rock and Shepherd of the church? “Feed my sheep!” He did not say “Herd, Hate, or Handle.”
No one (especially no one with their own mind, ideas, thoughts, and goals) wants to be herded or controlled blindly. They certainly won’t budge if presented with hate or anger. And trust me, no one wants to be “handled!” This objectifies people. It treats them as commodities, as mere pawns to another person’s goal.
But if you want to truly present someone with a better way – accept them for who they are, help them and heal them. Tell them the Good News that changes lives and can make their lives better and more peaceful and more beautiful. Help them in their daily lives and build relationships of trust and true caring. The Good Shepherd does not pretend to love the sheep. The Good Shepherd truly DOES love the sheep! And everything else comes from that loving, intentional relationship. Finally, heal them. Help them change their lives in real and tangible ways.
This is the message that God the Holy Spirit is giving to us today. You can try to “herd cats” all you want, but you’ll never build a kingdom that way. Instead, proclaim my message, heal and raise the dead, cast out demons. Some will listen. Some won’t. Do not try to control the outcomes. Just do your thing and then walk away. God will take care of the rest.
We live in a divisive culture. And as always through the ages, people will think independently, will have their own ideas, their own religions, their own beliefs, and their own goals and agendas. But Jesus’ message then (his evangelistic method if you will) works the same today as it did those years ago: it is not about convincing – but about convicting through demonstration; through gifts of healing and wholeness; through life-changing assistance; through relationships built on trust, empathy and understanding..
Friends, we need to remember that all we’re being asked to do is our part – and that the final step is in the hands of the Holy Spirit. We will never succeed in “convincing” people of our way, the church’s way, Jesus’ way, or ‘the best’ way. To try that is to Herd Cats from personal power only. Rather, we will have done the job of herding cats by the examples we give in how we live our lives.
God’s message for humankind has never been about control, but about redemption. It has never been about force – but about free will. In Jesus’ sacrifice, he offered us a better way – a way of peace, love, salvation, and a kingdom collaborative spirit. He showed us what that looked like through his actions, his humility, his healings, and his sacrificial love.
This is the way to Shepherd God’s people. This is the way to herd cats.
Parents, today, in our culture, we celebrate Father’s Day. May all of our fathers demonstrate the peace and understanding of human nature as does our heavenly Father today and going forward. May God bless you and all of God’s people in our shared mission – in our families, in our churches, in our communities to succeed in all we do in his Holy name.
May God be praised. AMEN