Schindler’s List: The Regret of Not Enough

This week my 16-year-old son and I watched Schindler’s List. My son wanted to see the movie, and I wanted him to appreciate the history and horrors of World War II. This 1993 movie follows the true story of a German industrialist, Oskar Schindler, who became concerned about the welfare of his Jewish factory workers during World War II. As a result of his compassion for the Jews being killed, Schindler creates as many factory jobs as he possibly can for Jews. He risks his own life by arguing with German army officers that the Jewish labor is essential for his factory.

While the movie has many powerful scenes, the most powerful moment for me is at the end of the movie (spoiler alert!!). World War II is drawing to a close, and Schindler has spent a small fortune of his personal wealth to pay off army officers in order to save the lives of about 1,200 Jewish men and women. As the war ends and Schindler is saying goodbye to these dear people he has saved, he looks around at their faces. Then, his gaze stops, not on a face, but on his car parked in their midst. Schindler simply breaks down and sobs uncontrollably as he realizes he could have sold his car and used the money to save 10 more lives. Then, he looks at his ring and knows it could have saved two more lives. As much as he had done, Schindler feels the weight of it being not enough.

In that moment, I felt the power of Schindler’s emotions. These are the same emotions I expect to have when I stand before Jesus at the judgement seat for believers. As much as I have given to try to save lives for eternity, it should have been more. The value of saving a single life is priceless. I want to believe that, if given the option to give away everything I own to save a single life, I would do it. But the truth is that we all set our personal “reasonable” limits on what we are willing to give back to the Lord.

What are your personal “reasonable” limits for giving back to Jesus? Have you discussed this with the Lord? Remember…this life is temporary…but eternity will last forever. 

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. 2 Corinthians 5:10