Community is a big thing.  It’s sexy.  Churches love to push community.  Small group community.  Serving community.  2nd graders community.  And it is important to have.  Living your life or calling with a group of people is great.  But there is another community that is also important and often overlooked.

Many times we neglect the community of people in the same position as us.  They do the same thing we do so they are the competition and therefore the enemy and heaven forbid we share information that might help them!  Sometimes we have the illusion of this community.  We know about the others.  We go to a conference.  We learn from other big namers.  But we don’t actually build or foster the community of those around us.

But great things can happen when we put time and effort into these relationships.  Doctors learn about medicines, procedures, sicknesses.  Mothers learn parenting strategies and tips.  Pastors get ideas, inspiration, review.  When we learn to learn from those around us that have already been there or are going through it, we grow stronger.

Over the last week or so I have had the opportunity to connect with several different people that I would consider in this community for me.  Some are through Twitter and blogs.  Others face to face.  Others I have never even physically met!  But getting to hear their thoughts, ideas, experiences has been huge!  When we join together through common ground and positions we have a chance to learn from each other.

Do you have this community already built?  Do you need to forget the competition side of things and put some effort into yours?  What does this community look like for you?

In any given situation there is something to be learned.  If you are in a tough situation, maybe you are there to learn patience.  Maybe it’s humility.  Responsibility.  To be teachable.  How to lead.  Likewise even in the best situations there is still more to learn.  How to handle success.  Pride.  Humility.  And the list goes on.  But you must be open, looking and willing to learn from these situations.  Sometimes that means swallowing a ton of pride and being able to listen and learn from the little guys.

The volunteers, not just the staff members.

The assistants, not just the department heads.

The pastor with a smaller church, not just the mega churches.

The church in a different denomination, not just your little club.

The small blogger, not just the site with 100K hits per month.

Whoever it is and whatever position they are in or you are in, you have to be able to learn and stay teachable.  We are never done learning.  If we were done learning we would have it all figured out and be perfect.  I’m pretty sure that’s not gonna happen.  In the Scriptures John 9 gives us a good example not learning from the little guy.

The man replied, “This is amazing! You claim to know nothing about him, but the fact is, he opened my eyes! It’s well known that God isn’t at the beck and call of sinners, but listens carefully to anyone who lives in reverence and does his will. That someone opened the eyes of a man born blind has never been heard of—ever. If this man didn’t come from God, he wouldn’t be able to do anything.” They said, “You’re nothing but dirt! How dare you take that tone with us!”

John 9:30-34

This man was blind and didn’t have all the religious training and knowledge that the Pharisees had, but he was healed by Jesus and now had something to share with the rest of the world.  The Pharisees chose to ignore the supernatural healing and love Jesus had for this man and they were not open to learn from him.  He was a nobody.  How could he teach them?  They were so much better than him!

Truth is he was willing to learn and they weren’t.  He had an open and available heart.  They did not.  Examine yours today.  Are you open to learning from the “little guy”?