The mureeds serving a sufi shaykh deserve respect. Nowadays , not many religious people are interested in Tasawwuf due to many reasons. On top of that , very few people want to spend fulll time in the company of a shaykh. So, if you see someone in the service of a shaykh, you should respect him due to your love for the shaykh. Anyone serving your beloved should also get a degree of love and respect.