One of the hardest temptations for the Christian to resist is that of self-vindication in the face of what appears to us to be unjust criticism. This is one of those many areas of the Christian life in which faith is absolutely necessary. We must have faith that God hears the criticism, that He will set the bounds of the attack, that in His own time He will vindicate the truth, that our reputation is safe in His keeping, and that if He permits us to become the offscouring of the world or-infinitely worse-the offscouring of our brethren, He will give grace and glory. We must, of course, be sure that we commit a right cause to God, and not a faulty one.