Wisdom's Seven Pillars – Pillar #5 Mercy

"Wisdom has built her house, she has carved out her seven pillars:" Proverbs 9:1. The aim of this series is to present a non-cliche, non-religious point of view of wisdom. I do subscribe to some religious interpretations of the subjects addressed, but wish to here, only point out the common understanding of the principals."

Pillar #5 - Mercy

“compassionate or kindly forbearance shown toward an offender, an enemy, or other person in one's power” - Dictionary.com

“I have always found that mercy bears richer fruits than strict justice.”
- Abraham Lincoln

Mercy is crucial to wisdom, allowing it to function by bringing constructive resistance to the force of knowledge. It directs the power of wisdom to accomplish its highest objective, that of bringing and nurturing life. Without it, wisdom may be a cruel master, harsh and unrelenting. This mercy need be applied to myself as well as others. Religion, philosophy, intellectualism, and governments, applied without mercy will surely end in violence and destruction of the individual. I yield to the powers that be, hoping for mercy as I address my issues, learning that, as I expect it, and it is necessary for my growth, so I should express it in my dealings with others. There is no greater power than wisdom applied to a life with mercy as it's arms to lift, to teach, to heal, and to encourage.

Find other pillars at opinionsofeye.com (http://www.opinionsofeye.com/2012/03/wisdoms-seven-pillars-pillar-5-merc...)