What is true power? Control or pardon?

Recently I was not able to sleep, so I decided to begin watching "Schindler's List." Which is four hours long and very intense. Yet, well needed for our society to always remember how far human beings can go with injustice when they deny the truth of God's Word and the natural law.

One particular scene in the movie was quite telling and at the same time very Christ-centered.

The basis of the movie is a business man named, Oskar Schindler is taking advantage of the requirement of Jews having to move to Krakow by starting a business for the Nazi party. He becomes incredibly wealthy very quickly. Schindler ends up having a changed heart and hiring Jews in order for them not to be killed.

One scene is where Oskar Schindler is shooting the breeze with a Nazi Leader of the Plazcow concentration camp after a long party filled with drinking and debauchery. In the discussion, the Nazi Leader, Amon Goth says to Schindler, "You are never drunk. You are in control. You know that control is power." Schindler laughed as he drank and told Goth, "No, control is not power. Power is when you have the chance to control, but you don't use it. You pardon those whom you could control. That is power." Goth obviously did not agree because control was the essence of what he thought made him the most powerful man at that concentration camp. Yet, he eventually realizes that his control was not so powerful and led to his eventual hanging.

This power is the same as our Lord. He has the chance to control us, take us down, or punish us with an unquenchable fire, but he doesn't control for power, but gives us pardon/forgiveness from our sins through Christ. The pardon that we don't deserve and a new life with Him. Amazing grace.

I suggest you watch Schindler's list if possible. Schindler saved over 1,300 Jews during his time, ended up broke, and now his work has saved the lives of over 60,000 people. A great testament of mercy for the least of these.