Amy and “What I’ve Taken From the Poor”

What I've Taken From the Poor

What I've taken from the poor,
I will give it all away, I will give it all away.

These are lyrics from the Porter's Gate, a worship collective of Christians from varying theological and musical traditions who come together to write new music. These lyrics are from The Zaccheaus Song (feat. Sandra McCracken and Paul Zach) from their 2020 collection Justice Songs.

This song tells the story of Zaccheaus from the point of view of Zaccheaus. We read about him in the Gospel of Luke 19:1-10. (You can find it here) While this portion is not the appointed one for this upcoming Sunday, I was drawn into deeper prayer with it through hearing the Porter's Gate song.

It's beautiful when a piece of contemporary art - music, painting, film, poetry, story - brings me to the Gospel and opens it up for me in new ways. Have you ever had that experience?

In the song Zaccheaus witnesses to his own liberation, his salvation, his own freedom in Jesus when he comes to understand that everything he has - all his money, all his possessions, all his resources - have come at the expense of the poorest people. He understands economic justice as a way for his own liberation, his own salvation in the here and now.

Oh this injustice Lord help me restore
for you called me by name and said sin no more
Salvation has come to this house today

Jesus tells Zaccheaus to lay down your treasures for they're just golden chains,
he says, Child, I will come to your house today.

What do you hear today in the story and witness of Zaccheaus?

Hear the song here