It's Not a Breeze

When does a breeze grow up into the wind--
to be the wind, a thing all on its own,
all fully grown and blowing all alone?
While little breezes so undisciplined
need to be sometimes captured and then pinned
or flown by a chaperone.

The wind can damage do because it’s strong,
the little breezes just prefer to play.
They usually do not want to stay so long,
but waft a fragrance or sail you a song,
or freshen up the heat of the day--
and then just scamper away.

The wind wants to work up a cyclone or two,
the breezes will try to do as they please.
With tornados and hurricanes and mischief to do,
the wind wants to sound like a god coming through,
but the real voice of God, as Elijah well knew,
we just hear in a whispering breeze.

When does a breeze turn into the wind?
When it starts doing more harm than good?
When it's careless about how it has sinned?
Must it damage things more than it should?
When it drowns other sounds to be heard,
So it no longer carries God's word?

                         -- by Pete Voelz           2002

(Dedicated to some young friends struggling
to change from a breeze to the wind)