By Leeland with Brandon Heath
The first time I heard this song I knew it was powerful. As I read through the lyrics, it touched me even deeper. When I stumbled across the video on YouTube, it hit me even more.
The setting of the video is Cambodia, where the communist Khmer Rouge, under the leadership of Pol Pot, took control in 1975. The Khmer Rouge attempted to turn Cambodia into a classless society by depopulating cities and forcing the urban population into agricultural communes. Its attempts at agricultural reform led to widespread famine, while its insistence on absolute self-sufficiency, even in the supply of medicine, led to the deaths of thousands from treatable diseases.
The regime arrested and eventually executed those suspected of connections with the former government or with foreign governments, as well as professionals and intellectuals. The Khmer Rouge wanted to eliminate anyone suspected of “involvement in free-market activities”. At least 200,000 people were executed (while estimates of the total number of deaths these policies, including disease and starvation, range from 1.4 to 2.2 million out of a population of around 7 million). The killing fields were a number of sites where large numbers of people were killed and buried during its rule until 1979.
The message of the song tugs at your heart even deeper. How can we, who have so much, not give to those in need around the world?
Due to the Christian foundations of this country and the incredible way that we have been blessed financially, the citizens of this nation are extremely generous and giving to those around the world. Just look at the free will response from people to such tragedies as the 2004 tsunami and the recent earthquake in Haiti.
“You live among the least of these, the weary, and the weak, and it would be a tragedy for me to turn away.”
Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side. (Luke 10:31-32)
I love the line in the song, “all my needs, you have supplied, when I was dead, you gave me life, how could I not give it away so freely?”
From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and from one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded. (Luke 12:48)
“Because faith without works is dead, and on the cross your blood was shed. So how could we not give it away so freely?”
As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead. (James 2:26)
“Follow you into the homes of the broken, follow you into the world.
And when did we see You a stranger and welcomed and entertained You, or naked and clothed You?
And when did we see You sick or in prison and came to visit You?
And the King will reply to them, Truly I tell you, in so far as you did it for one of the least [in the estimation of men] of these My brethren, you did it for Me. (Matthew 25.38-40)
“Meet the needs for the poor and needy, God. Follow you into the world.”
“Use my hands, use my feet to make your kingdom come.”
“Through the corners of the earth until your work is done.”
And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Matthew 28:18-20)
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ajIFfSaEzE]
