Are you a sheep or a goat?

There are days, as I'm driving to work, that I can just tell it's going to be a difficult day. I don't know if it's because of my mood or if I can sense that there is already a “disturbance in the force”, most likely it's God giving me a little nudge and saying, “Hey, you need to be ready, today's going to be a tough one.” It is on those days that instead of listening to regular music, or KLOVE on the radio, I find myself tuned in to Catholic radio. At 7:00 a.m., Monday through Saturday, they broadcast Daily Mass, live from a chapel in Irondale, AL. Most days I'm able to time it just perfectly, when I'm at the tallest point on 3 mile bridge, the sun is coming up over the bay, sometimes there are rays of sunlight shining through the clouds, then the introduction to the broadcast begins. A choir begins singing, “Aaaaa...aaaa.aaaaa..aaaa” and a voice comes on speaking as Christ during the last supper. It is one of those moments when I just want to throw my hands in the air and say, “Thank you God!!! Thank you Jesus!!!” Then, as I finish the drive across the bridge and up the hill to the hospital, the bells are ringing and the organ starts playing and scriptures are being read and I'm singing along with the Kyrie, (Thank you Mr. H and Woods Cross High School Concert Choir!) I feel my well being filled and I know that no matter how bad the day is, I can do all things through Christ!

It was on one of these mornings that the priest was reading from the Gospel of Matthew. He read from verse 31 to the end of the chapter but for the sake of space and attention spans I'm only including the text for Matthew 25: 31-34, 41 and 46 (KJV). 31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: 33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: 46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

I decided I needed to explore the question, “Are you a sheep or a goat?”
Looking into the differences between sheep and goats seemed like the most obvious place to start. Of course there are plenty of physical differences but what struck me the most were the behavioral differences. Goats are more curious, inquisitive and independent. Sheep have a flock mentality and one sheep will become agitated if separated from the flock. But, because they have this flock mentality, they have a better defense against predators. Rams (male sheep) are able to dominate bucks (or billys – male goats) because in a fight, the buck will rear up before charging and the ram will just tuck its head and charge. So, while the buck is still preparing to charge the ram is knocking the wind out of it with a direct hit to it's abdomen. One of the sites I looked at had a great quote from a woman named Paula, “Sheep are very territorial and have even killed skunks, raccoons, and fought off fox, coyotes. I would have to think by far as a flock sheep are smarter the goats. Goats will be so in to everything they will hurt them selves. I have seep a goat get its head stuck and snap its own neck.” Then there's the whole voice recognition thing. In the reading I did on sheep and goats, I never once found anything about a goat being able to recognize the voice of the goatherd but sheep are able to recognize the voice of their shepherd.
A few days ago I was listening to a podcast from Passion City Church. The speaker was talking about why Ted Turner (you know, Mr. TNT, TBS, CNN) decided to be an atheist. I had to look into the details of this myself because there was something I could identify with in his story. Sure enough, Ted Turner decided years and years ago to become atheist after his sister died from Lupus. The reason I identify with this? Although I didn't decide God didn't exist after the death of my father 14 years ago, I did decide to turn my back on Him and turned to a life of drinking, drugs and men to try and fill the void. I hurt everyone I love and did monumental damage to my relationships with those closest to me. I made choices and did things that could have and should have resulted in the loss of my freedom and even my life.
What it all boils down to is this, I've tried living the life of a goat, being curious, inquisitive and independent and it very nearly ruined everything. I am so very thankful that God is merciful and forgiving and that I have been given the chance to rebuild relationships and live a good life. I know that the phrase “sheep mentality” has a very negative stigma attached to it but I choose to look at it differently. Living the life of a goat, a life of sin, I never knew who I could trust and never knew who liked me just for being me, always felt insecure and alone and I know I never gave security and unconditional friendship to anyone else. Living the life of a sheep, as part of a flock, I know who my friends are, I know I am loved and that with God in my life I am never, ever alone. Honestly, my very worst day living the life of a sheep and following Christ, is far and away better than my very best day living the life of a goat.
To add just a bit of a personal touch to the end of the scripture Joshua 24:15, “as for me and my house, we will be sheep.” (Oh and just so you know, Ted Turner rejoined the flock back in 2008 and apologized for the anti-Christian/anti-religion statements he'd made in the past.)