While performing our duties to the best of our abilities and when it appears that Jehovah is blessing and favoring us and our affairs to a very noticeable degree, trouble can suddenly arise, adversity can strike, the powers of evil can appear to triumph, and those around us may even condemn us. At such times, it may appear that our Heavenly Father has abandoned us. Through it all, we need to remember that no matter how dark circumstances may appear to us, that we should submit to the Heavenly Father's guidance through Jesus and the Holy Spirit. We need to realize that we should walk by faith, not by sight, and thus figuratively take hold of our Master's hand and let him guide us through the dark. Indeed, if our Heavenly Father did not allow such experiences to come to us, the thought of walking by faith could become a form of ritualism or even a form of self-exaltation.
Regardless of what is happening, for Christ's sake, the child of God should seek to avoid stumbling others. Paul's expressions regarding this denotes several extremes, by which one could stumble others. Have we been honored in some special way? If so, our attitude should not be that of pride, exaltation of self. When honored, we should seek to accept such honor with humility while giving such honor to Christ. If we are dishonored, we should rejoice in such dishonor for the cause of Christ. If we are spoken of in an evil manner, we should not seek to retaliate in kind; if we are spoken of in a good manner, again, we should accept such in humility, not with a spirit of self-exaltation.
The child of God may be considered by those of the world, and sometimes by fellow-believers, to be a deceiver. Such an experience should not make the Christian timid or fearful. While the world is being deceived related to the truth about the Heavenly Father and Jesus, even amidst their unbelief, the Christian should be truthful, all to the glory of our Heavenly Father. What we do and say may influence, not only our brother is Christ, but the hearts of all who might receive Christ at some time in the future.
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