Stones and Grace

The following was inspired by the message "Throwing Stones" by Talbot Davis of Good Sheppard United Methodist Charlotte NC

She can’t find the words, she can’t lift her head
She can’t clean her ears from all the words that he said
He’s been out all night, he's looking to fight
He can’t remember the last time that he felt alright

What she needs is mercy
What he needs is grace
He’d swallow his pride but he can’t bear the taste

So they stand at attention with stones in their hands
To serve out the duties that proud pain demands
To smash, and to break, to mold and to take.
To drowned out the pain through the water of shame

But who wins in this, where does this go?
They duck, dodge, and wait till it’s their time to throw
and sooner or later; the room is returned
Like the bottom of a stove when there no more to burn

She tries not to cry as she looks in his eye
She sees that he’s broken from all the things that he’s tried
The kids they need clothes and blow after blow
His pride feels like crops under four feet of snow

The stones in her hand, she’s been given the right
but something inside her tells that it’s alright
She touches his shoulder and kisses his cheek
She reminds him he’s strong when she knows that he’s weak

They lean on each other as the stones slip away
And they know that they’ll make it at least one more day
They build up and fix, they give and secure
And drowned out the hurt with love that is pure.

So who wins in this, where does this lead?
When we stand in the gap for our loved ones in need?

What she had was mercy
What he saw was grace

Now a smile finds his lips
as he studies her face.

Andy McGee