--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Kings in this world should imitate God…" description: "\"Kings in this world should imitate God, their mercy should be above their works.\" — William Penn" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e6/william-penn-1104_compassion_kings-in-this-world-should-imitate-god-t_2458929.png" --- # Kings in this world should imitate God, their mercy should… ![“Kings in this world should imitate God, their mercy should be above their works.” quote by William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e6/william-penn-1104_compassion_kings-in-this-world-should-imitate-god-t_2458929.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e6/william-penn-1104_compassion_kings-in-this-world-should-imitate-god-t_2458929.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e6/william-penn-1104_compassion_kings-in-this-world-should-imitate-god-t_2458929.png) > “Kings in this world should imitate God, their mercy should be above their works.” [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human leaders should emulate divine compassion, placing mercy above mere achievements, suggesting moral authority stems from kindness. **In simple terms:** Leaders should be kind, not just productive. Key Takeaway Prioritize compassion in leadership. Themes leadership morality compassion Mood thoughtful inspirational Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - political office - corporate management - community organizing Key Concepts ethical governance spirituality service Questions to Reflect On - How can mercy be balanced with effective results? - What policies reflect compassionate leadership? A Different Perspective Mercy alone may not achieve practical goals without action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [God Mercy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-mercy/) [Imitate God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imitate-god-534574/) [Kings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kings/) [Mercy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mercy/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World Imitate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-imitate-633273/) ## Related quotes > [I have often met with happiness after some imprudent step which ought to have brought ruin upon me, and although passing a vote of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-casanova/i-have-often-met-with-happiness-after-some-imprudent-step-which-ought/) [Giacomo Casanova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-casanova/) > [“Divine blessing flows from God’s mercy rather than from our merit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-chapell/divine-blessing-flows-from-god-s-mercy-rather-than-from-our-merit/) [Bryan Chapell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-chapell/) > [I have, by God’s grace, learned as a member of the Christian community what is the nature of God’s mercy, which does not leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowan-williams/i-have-by-god-s-grace-learned-as-a-member-of-the-christian-community/) [Rowan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-williams/) > [We were made for good works (cf. Phil. 1:11) to the glory and praise of our Maker, and to imitate God as far as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-of-nazianzus/we-were-made-for-good-works-cf-phil-1-11-to-the-glory-and-praise-of/) [Gregory of Nazianzus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-of-nazianzus/) > [Man tried to imitate God by drawing; then we invented the photo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malick-sidibe/man-tried-to-imitate-god-by-drawing-then-we-invented-the-photo/) [Malick Sidibe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malick-sidibe/) > [“If God spares us as a father does his son, let us imitate God. It is natural for children to imitate their parents. Let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-watson/if-god-spares-us-as-a-father-does-his-son-let-us-imitate-god-it-is/) [Thomas Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-watson/) > [Our best selves tell us that 'there but for the grace of God... ' and that, in the end, there is no distance, really,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-boyle/our-best-selves-tell-us-that-there-but-for-the-grace-of-god-and-that/) [Greg Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-boyle/) > [The Christian religion teaches us to imitate a God that is cruel, insidious, jealous, and implacable in his wrath.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/the-christian-religion-teaches-us-to-imitate-a-god-that-is-cruel/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [Satan can imitate God, but he cannot duplicate Him - God is the only One who can deliver us from our pain and suffering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-jeremiah/satan-can-imitate-god-but-he-cannot-duplicate-him-god-is-the-only-one/) [David Jeremiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-jeremiah/) > [The avant-garde poet or artist tries in effect to imitate God by creating something valid solely on its own terms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clement-greenberg/the-avant-garde-poet-or-artist-tries-in-effect-to-imitate-god-by/) [Clement Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clement-greenberg/) > [The ultimate fulfillment of God's mercy in Jesus is not something that is supplied in time to correct a default in the system, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alistair-begg/the-ultimate-fulfillment-of-god-s-mercy-in-jesus-is-not-something/) [Alistair Begg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alistair-begg/) > [For Ragamuffins, God's name is Mercy. We see our darkness as a prized possession because it drives us into the heart of God. Without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brennan-manning/for-ragamuffins-god-s-name-is-mercy-we-see-our-darkness-as-a-prized/) [Brennan Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brennan-manning/) > [Maybe it's only those who've made such chaos of their lives who can understand the heights and depths of God's mercy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-rivers/maybe-it-s-only-those-who-ve-made-such-chaos-of-their-lives-who-can/) [Francine Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-rivers/) > [May God in his mercy enable us without obstinacy to perceive our errors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-servetus/may-god-in-his-mercy-enable-us-without-obstinacy-to-perceive-our/) [Michael Servetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-servetus/) > [Jesus’ Cross shows the full force of evil, but also the full power of God’s mercy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/jesus-cross-shows-the-full-force-of-evil-but-also-the-full-power-of/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) ## More by William Penn > [Love grows. Lust wastes by Enjoyment, and the Reason is, that one springs from an Union of Souls, and the other from an Union…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/love-grows-lust-wastes-by-enjoyment-and-the-reason-is-that-one/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [Once you've accumulated sufficient knowledge to get by, you're too old to remember it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/once-you-ve-accumulated-sufficient-knowledge-to-get-by-you-re-too-old/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [If thou wouldn't conquer thy weakness thou must not gratify it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/if-thou-wouldn-t-conquer-thy-weakness-thou-must-not-gratify-it/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [Religion is the fear of God, and its demonstration good works; and faith is the root of both: For without faith we cannot please…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/religion-is-the-fear-of-god-and-its-demonstration-good-works-and/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [All excess is ill; but drunkenness is of the worst sort. It spoils health, dismounts the mind, and unmans men. It reveals secrets, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/all-excess-is-ill-but-drunkenness-is-of-the-worst-sort-it-spoils/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [“Let us then try what love can do to mend a broken world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/let-us-then-try-what-love-can-do-to-mend-a-broken-world/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > ['Tis no sin to be tempted, but to be overcome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/tis-no-sin-to-be-tempted-but-to-be-overcome/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [Perfect love casteth out fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/perfect-love-casteth-out-fear/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [By liberty of conscience, we understand not only a mere liberty of the mind, in believing or disbelieving this or that principle or doctrine;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/by-liberty-of-conscience-we-understand-not-only-a-mere-liberty-of-the/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [Content not thyself that thou art virtuous in the general; for one link being wanting, the chain is defective.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/content-not-thyself-that-thou-art-virtuous-in-the-general-for-one/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [We are apt to be very pert at censuring others, where we will not endure advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/we-are-apt-to-be-very-pert-at-censuring-others-where-we-will-not/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [It is admirable to consider how many millions of people come into, and go out of the world, ignorant of themselves and of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/it-is-admirable-to-consider-how-many-millions-of-people-come-into-and/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [If thou wouldst rule well, thou must rule for God, and to do that, thou must be ruled by him... Those who will not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/if-thou-wouldst-rule-well-thou-must-rule-for-god-and-to-do-that-thou/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [In the rush and noise of life, as you have intervals, step home within yourselves and be still. Wait upon God, and feel His…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/in-the-rush-and-noise-of-life-as-you-have-intervals-step-home-within/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [Be sure that religion cannot be right that a man is the worse for having.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/be-sure-that-religion-cannot-be-right-that-a-man-is-the-worse-for/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) [Explore all 291 William Penn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) ## More Compassion quotes > [Half the misery of human life might be extinguished if men would alleviate the general curse they lie under by mutual offices of compassion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/half-the-misery-of-human-life-might-be-extinguished-if-men-would/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [“I fight with love and kindness as my weapons and compassion as my defense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debasish-mridha/i-fight-with-love-and-kindness-as-my-weapons-and-compassion-as-my/) [Debasish Mridha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debasish-mridha/) > [I really enjoy making people laugh; I've discovered that's a great technique. That's as powerful as stirring their sorrow, stirring their compassion, because that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/i-really-enjoy-making-people-laugh-i-ve-discovered-that-s-a-great/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [“If you refuse to use physical force, then you will be at the mercy of your oppressor!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/segun-magbagbeola/if-you-refuse-to-use-physical-force-then-you-will-be-at-the-mercy-of/) [Segun Magbagbeola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/segun-magbagbeola/) > [For some reason, we are truly convinced that if we criticize ourselves, the criticism will lead to change. If we are harsh, we believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geneen-roth/for-some-reason-we-are-truly-convinced-that-if-we-criticize-ourselves/) [Geneen Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geneen-roth/) > [I could not have slept tonight if I had left that helpless little creature to perish on the ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-could-not-have-slept-tonight-if-i-had-left-that-helpless-little/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [We are puzzled and bewildered whenever we see suffering in this world because we have become accustomed to the mercy and the long-suffering of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul/we-are-puzzled-and-bewildered-whenever-we-see-suffering-in-this-world/) [R. C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul/) > [“Helpers in every corner, helpers in every hood. That's how we'll make the move, to reform from rude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/helpers-in-every-corner-helpers-in-every-hood-that-s-how-we-ll-make/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [There are a number of qualities which are important for mental peace, but from the little experience I have, I believe that one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/there-are-a-number-of-qualities-which-are-important-for-mental-peace/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [May the gods have mercy on whoever pisses them off, because Zarek and Jericho will have none for them. (Madoc) You’d better be glad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/may-the-gods-have-mercy-on-whoever-pisses-them-off-because-zarek-and/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [When you need empathy, you cannot give empathy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-b-rosenberg/when-you-need-empathy-you-cannot-give-empathy/) [Marshall B. Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-b-rosenberg/) > [But victimhood was seductive, a release from responsibility and caring. Fear would be transmuted into weary resignation; failure would no longer generate guilt but,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/but-victimhood-was-seductive-a-release-from-responsibility-and-caring/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“No one has any right to tell you that the way you perceive yourself is wrong. Because by doing so, they also discourage the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamand-kojouri/no-one-has-any-right-to-tell-you-that-the-way-you-perceive-yourself/) [Kamand Kojouri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamand-kojouri/) > [“la ilaha ilallah muhammadun rasulullah, alaihi salatullah wa alihi wal ahibba "shine your mercy like the sun, and be gracious as the earth let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talib-al-habib/la-ilaha-ilallah-muhammadun-rasulullah-alaihi-salatullah-wa-alihi-wal/) [Talib al Habib](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talib-al-habib/) > [The love for all living creatures is the most noble attribute of man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/the-love-for-all-living-creatures-is-the-most-noble-attribute-of-man/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) [Browse all 9,892 Compassion quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Kings in this world should imitate God, their mercy should be above their works.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Penn" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/kings-in-this-world-should-imitate-god-their-mercy-should-be-above/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Compassion" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/kings-in-this-world-should-imitate-god-their-mercy-should-be-above/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e6/william-penn-1104_compassion_kings-in-this-world-should-imitate-god-t_2458929.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e6/william-penn-1104_compassion_kings-in-this-world-should-imitate-god-t_2458929.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e6/william-penn-1104_compassion_kings-in-this-world-should-imitate-god-t_2458929.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Kings in this world should imitate God, their mercy should be above their works.” — William Penn", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "William Penn", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Kings in this world should imitate...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/kings-in-this-world-should-imitate-god-their-mercy-should-be-above/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/kings-in-this-world-should-imitate-god-their-mercy-should-be-above/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```