For your might is the source of justice; your mastery over all things makes you lenient to all. (Wisdom 12:16)
The Book of Wisdom is praising God’s might, or power. But that power is not expressed through humiliating and destroying enemies, but rather in mercy (God’s being lenient to all). As the Parable of the Weeds and the Wheat points out, there are lots of folks who would like to take it on themselves to weed God’s garden:
His slaves said to him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ He replied, 'No, if you pull up the weeds you might uproot the wheat along with them. Let them grow together until harvest.'
It’s significant that the owner says, “No thank you! Just let the weeds and wheat grow together . . . they will be separated at harvest time.” Now you and I know that weeding the summer garden is essential. But God has a different idea. Perhaps mercy is not a sign of weakness . . . just the opposite, mercy is power. Our God who is “merciful and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in kindness and fidelity” (Psalm 86).
