Here's something that recently caught my attention. Jesus had just received news that Lazarus, his friend, had died, and was going to return to Judea where he lived. The disciples protested:

Then he said to his disciples, "Let us go back to Judea."

"But Rabbi," they said, "a short while ago the Jews tried to stone you, and yet you are going back there?"

Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours of daylight? A man who walks by day will not stumble, for he sees by this world's light. It is when he walks by night that he stumbles, for he has no light." (John 11:7-10)

What I believe Jesus is saying here is that when things are going fine, both people who follow the world and people who follow God do well enough. But when "darkness" comes -- hard or evil times, in this case with danger of persecution -- the two people behave differently. "A man ... [who] sees by this world's light ... stumbles." And the god-focused man will not: He will do the right thing, even if it means risking or losing his life -- as Jesus indeed did.