The ultimate measure of a man is where he stands in times of challenge and controversy, not where he stands in times of comfort and ease. This proverb simply says that when a person is going through a difficult situation, you can see their true colors. The only way to know what someone really thinks of you is to see how they act in situations where they must decide for themselves. Their actions will tell you far more than their words. This proverb reminds us that it is important to look beyond what people say they believe to find out what they truly think about life and humanity. Most people don't like confrontation or uncertainty, so they hide their true feelings from others. For this reason, they can't be trusted with strong opinions on subjects such as politics or religion. We need people who are willing to talk about serious issues with openness and honesty; otherwise, we'll never get past parochial politics and religious dogma to some type of global understanding. People always show their true colors in times of trouble or change. If you want to know how your partner or friend feels about you, give them cause for concern. Ask them how they would feel if they knew something very bad was going to happen and there was nothing they could do to stop it. See how they react under these circumstances. The truth will always come out. This proverb can be applied to anything that causes people pain.