A story from the Buddhist tradition, probably timeless but in its most recent versions set during the Chinese Communist invasion of Tibet, makes this point very clear.

A soldier bursts into a monastery cell and thrusts his rifle into the belly of a meditating monk. The monk goes right on meditating.

“You don’t understand,” barks the soldier. “I have the power to take your life!” “No, it’s you who doesn’t understand. I have the power to let you.”

from The Wisdom Way of Knowing