Dressing Down // Micah

The obstacles were numerous. I didn’t speak the language, come from the ghetto or look the part. In the US I was 1 out of a million, now in a slum in Africa I stood out in every way imaginable. A vision led me there, but to execute I would have to impart the dream and develop a team. The problem? Our future change agents, at first, could not see outside the slum. They also could not see past the barriers between me, them, and our shared future. I had to close the gap... but how?

I became convinced that the secret of replacing relational distance with a bond of brotherhood was bound up in the example of Christ. To make the gospel real he became relatable. For the good of non-deities the God of the Universe took on a robe of human flesh, ate our food, spoke our language, wore our clothes and walked our streets. He was so much a man that many refused Him as God. If the God of heaven could relate to humans then surely a middle class white kid could become African.

Incarnating became a cornerstone of my time developing our first Center in Africa and a guiding principal for our work today. I can honestly say now that our greatest breakthroughs have come when our leaders have sought to immolate Christ by holding high our standards and bending low their knees. 

It is pretty humbling when you realize in John 13:3-6 that it was actually after Jesus was crowned the Supreme Leader over the Universe that we see Him dressing down and cleaning feet.

“Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples' feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.”  John 13:3-6

"You call me ‘Teacher' and ‘Lord,' and you are right, because that's what I am. And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other's feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you." John 13:13–15

- Micah McElveen

Eyes to See // Micah

Before he was an apostle, Paul pursued his own way and blindly chased a deity of his own making. Consumed with zeal, yet deprived of sight, he eventually found himself rooted on a path, standing sword drawn, directly opposed to the real God. How does that happen?

While you and I hopefully will never literally square off with Christ, we can find ourselves so consumed with our vision for life that His way is lost on our path. Indeed the father of darkness would have all men rummage through life sightless.

It was not until Paul fully yielded to the light of Christ that the blinders fell off. It was then that a clear line of sight emerged from the fog of self will.

Like Paul, we gain real perspective by submitting our hopes, dreams and desires to Jesus. If we want God’s vision to guide our walk we must release our need to "have it our way" and ask the Light of the World for Eyes To See.

Acts 9:5 “Who are you, lord?” Saul asked. And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting!”

Acts 9:9 “He remained there blind for three days and did not eat or drink.”

Acts 9:12 “I HAVE SHOWN HIM A VISION of a man named Ananias coming in and laying hands on him SO HE CAN SEE again.”

Acts 9:22 “Saul's preaching became more and more powerful, and the Jews in Damascus couldn't refute his proofs that Jesus was indeed the Messiah.”

- Micah McElveen