DON'T SHOOT THE WOUNDED (Chuck Girard)

C                    F/C       C
Don't shoot the wounded, they need us more than ever
                                   F/C          C
They need our love no matter what it is they've done
    F  
Sometimes we just condemn them,
 
And don't take time to hear their story
G                    G7                        C    F/C  F
Don't shoot the wounded, someday you might be one

      C                    F/C        C
It's easy to love the people who are standing hard and fast
C                          F/C        C
Pressing on to meet that higher calling        
        F           
But the ones who might be struggling, we tend to judge too harshly

And refuse to try and catch them when they're falling
        G  
We put people into boxes and we draw our hard conclusions

And when they do the things we know they should not do
             C
We sometimes write them off as hopeless
        F 
And we throw them to the dogs
        G                           
Our compassion and forgiveness sometimes seem in short supply
So I say...

Chorus
C                     
We can love them and forgive them 
      F/C    C      
When their sin does not exceed our own
       
For we too have been down bumpy roads before
         F
But when they commit offenses outside the boundaries we have set

We judge them in a word and we turn them out,
 
And we close the door
     G
Myself I've been forgiven for so many awful things

I've been cleansed and washed and bathed so many times
     C					    F
That when I see a brother who has fallen from the way
   G   
I just can't find the license to convict him of his crimes

So I say...

Chorus
C                              F/C           C
That doesn't mean we turn our heads when we see a brother sin
     C                           F/C       C
And pretend that what he's doing is all right
F
But we must help him see his error, we must lead him to repent

Cry with those who cry, but bring their deeds into the light
              G
For it's the sick that need the doctor, 

and it's the lame that need the crutch

It's the prodigal who needs the loving hand
C
For a man who's in despair, there should be
F 
Kindnessfrom his friends
                 G
'Lest he should forsake the fear of almighty God
 
And turn away from God and man

So I say...

Chorus

©1982 Sea of Glass Music/ASCAP