Ridicule and Christian Principle
RIDICULE is the devil's strongest weapon for beating down principle. A sneer is more dreaded by most men than a blow; and where the enemies of Christ cannot compel men to do evil by brute force, they often accomplish their end by the more potent weapon of mocking words. Yet there is nothing more foolish than to attempt to avoid ridicule for one's scrupulousness, by yielding to the evil; for the mocking laugh of the tempter, over a soul that has sinned, is a hundredfold more terrible than his sneer at a soul that refuses to sin. "The grim fiend laughs at him who sorroweth.
'O fool! be merry while you may,' he saith;
Then laughs more loudly when the fool has played."
If ever you feel that you cannot stand out against the jeers of those who call you strait-laced and a Bible-bigot, just think how much more their jeers will hurt when they who tempted you to your ruin make a mock of your fall.—S. S. Times.