Jonathots Daily Blog
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“Summarize that.”
“Make it shorter.”
“Fewer words, please.”
“No one will read anything that long.”
“How about just a tweet?”
I, for one, believe there’s a certain amount of charm in finding fewer words to express ideas. But sometimes, we just want less because we don’t want to hear more.
I smile when I hear writers begin articles with, “There’s so much to say…”
There may be much to say, but there’s a great need to scrunch it together and pitch it to the American public in a way that mingles thoughtfulness and good cheer.
You may or may not agree. But even though I realize great books have taken hundreds of chapters and billions of words to express eternal ideas, I must tell you, the appetite is gone for such mental munching.
So I need to be concise. Like:
“Take care of things and things will take care of you.”
The minute I start adding an explanation to this, I will probably lose my audience.
Another example:
“If you’re gonna to be mean, you’re gonna get mean, if you know what I mean.”
Once your head stops spinning from the overuse of the word “mean,” maybe you’ll get a good chuckle. But will it inspire you to stop being nasty to the world around you?
How about this?
“Don’t start a war if you aren’t willing to die.”
That may get a few “oohs and ahhs” from readers. But absent the recitation of the history of war’s futility, it might fall on deaf ears.
I did find one exception. It’s a premise that needs no explanation—an idea that does not require a series of verified testimonials.
Of all the things that have ever been said and all the things that have ever been written, this is the only principle that really needs to be followed.
“Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy.”
For the sake of our discussion today, let us transform it:
To get mercy, give mercy.
We all need mercy. It’s why we invented the phrase, “unconditional love.” But you see, love without mercy is not only conditional, but is doomed to be temporary.
Mercy is what love becomes when we find out the truth about each other.
I love the definition of mercy:
A decision to become compassionate when it is in our power to do harm.
No word sums up the basic daily, fluid need of the human race more than mercy.
Love works beautifully when mercy is honored.
But love becomes discontented, frustrated and wounded if judgment is used instead of mercy.
It disappeared for a while during the Dark Ages.
Inkles of it sprouted to the surface, welcoming in the Renaissance.
Rephrased, it showed up in a document proposing freedom: “All men are created equal.”
Another hundred years and it’s found in an inauguration speech: “With malice toward none and charity for all.”
Unfortunately, in our time, mercy is deemed weakness.
But only mercy has the power to open the world to the freedom of living a lifespan without being killed in a war.
Isn’t that amazing?
Throughout the entire history of humankind, there were always wars to interrupt the lifespan of young men who might have lived to be old and wise but perished in combat.
War is foolishness when mercy is available.
Mercy does not allow our enemies to walk over the top of us—but mercy is fully aware that in defeating them, we more than likely will have to live with them afterwards. We should act accordingly.
There is no statement that is better suited to the human race: “give mercy, get mercy.”
Give mercy to the Earth and protect Mother Nature. You will get mercy.
Give mercy to your husband or wife and you will get mercy.
Give mercy to the animal kingdom and only deplete their ranks by what you absolutely need. You will get mercy.
Give mercy to your enemies for their clumsy attempts to frighten you. You will get mercy.
This is our universal slogan: Give mercy, get mercy.
Having the ability to inflict pain and harm, we choose mercy.
And because we choose mercy, when pain and harm come our way and we are due punishment, she has permission to step in and save us.
Jonathots Daily Blog 