Reasons

by David L. Allen

"Commandments are silly!
That's all there is to that!
Who's God to tell a full grown man
Where he can hang his hat?"

"Oh no! That's wrong! Quite wrong my friend.
How can I make it clear?
I know, look there -- your child at play,
Your daughter sweet and dear.

See how she loves to climb the stairs,
And jump from three steps high.
And cousin Tom, he spurs her on.
"Who dares the fourth? We'll fly!"

Then you speak up: "That's high enough!
For three-year olds, too high!"
But tears well up, and then you're faced
With that eternal "Why?"

"Because you'll break your leg -- that's why.
Now don't go any higher!"
"Oh no I won't, I promise Dad.
Please let us be like fliers."

"Well my friend (an engineer),
You could be quite specific.
Dynamic loading, stress and strain,
And modulus elastic.

But no, you just make it a rule,
Though you've got your reasons grand.
The children you're concerned about,
Would never understand.

Our Father has His reasons too,
For His Eternal Rules.
And all of them for our own good,
Despite unheeding fools.

Yes, legs break much more easily,
Than laws of physics do.
And 'gainst commandments, hearts will break,
And souls will be lost too."

DLA, 1977
© Copyright 1997 David L. Allen. All rights reserved.