I Killed Another Man Today

An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.

- Mahatma Gandhi

My words are weapons (I use em to crush my opponents)
My words are weapons (Never show no emotion)
My words are weapons (I use em to kill whoever steppin on me)"

- Eminem

Words kill, words give life; they're either poison or fruit—you choose.

- Proverbs 18:21 (The Message)

God led me to a YouTube video featuring Marty Stuart. The song is called "Hangman". You can see it below and follow along with the powerful lyrics. Marty wrote this song with Johnny Cash just four days before Cash died. This song made me think about the people I have killed with my words.

I Killed Another Man Today

This morning I was in a restaurant with several men. One of them said something negative about my daughter and her family. It was so shocking that I really wasn't sure what to say or do. After a moment or two I said the best thing that I could come up with instead of punching him in the mouth.

I've learned that the tongue is like a weapon. His words about my daughter and her family killed me. My first reaction was to say something to make him look smaller in front of the other men that were present. Instead I said, "Thank God, both you and I are forgiven."

This afternoon I decided to retell the story to a man that wasn't there. I felt compelled to make sure that someone else knew just how "horrible" it was for this man to say something negative about my daughter. When I did this I was killing him because he killed me. I was gossiping. I was killing him with my words. Am I killing him again by posting this story on my blog?

"Well who killed who, I ask myself, time and time again." - Marty Stuart

It get's crazy doesn't it? Should I demand an apology from this man for what he said about my daughter or should I apologize because I killed him with my words?

As I write these words I remember the most positive thing that I said today: "Thank God, both you and I are forgiven."

When was the last time you killed someone with your words?



I killed another man today, it's hard to believe
Well I lost count at thirty and I've grown to numb to grieve
The bottle helps me cope, when I lay down at night
And when the dope rolls through my veins, it all fades out of sight.

Hangman, hangman, that's my stock and trade
Hangman, hangman, sending bad men to their graves
Well who killed who, I ask myself, time and time again
God have mercy on the soul of this hangman

There's a woman down the street, named Rosalie McFall
She don't ask me any questions, when I come to call
Her body keeps me warm, her words are soft and kind.
She holds me in her arms till the bad dreams leave my mind

Hangman, hangman, that's my stock and trade
Hangman, hangman, sending bad men to their graves
Well, who killed who, I ask myself, time and time again
God have mercy on the soul of this hangman
God have mercy on the soul of this hangman