Dr. Stockmann: "they have tried to rob me of my ... most elementary rights as a man […] to make a coward of me, to force me to put personal interests before my most sacred convictions." (3.44-3.46)

Dr. Stockmann is a man not scared to stand alone with the truth. In the face of condemnation, isolation, excommunication and poverty he holds on to the truth. He character in this play goes from sure that he is saving the town to fighting for his rights to declare his attempt at saving them. Through his persistence we learn the ignorance and stubburness of the community. We see the negatives of power being used wrongly and we see the ridicule one faces when they go against what the majority wants.
What if this character was one of our heros as Chrisians. What if we realized that what we declare to be truth and salvation will not always be understood as such, but we are determined that we will not faulter in our stand. The persecution that Dr. Stockmann and his family is not unlike much of the persecution that Christians face as they stand up for the truth amongst a world that would prefer darkness, ignorance and sin over their unveiled lives, the truth that requires change or a life of holiness. What Dr. Stockman chose to stand for in the name of saving the town, whether they understood that or not, was we are expected to do as Christian when declaring the truth of the gospel in the midst of opposition.
The picture of the family staying together as they stand for the truth should be a picture of the church. We should be a church that doesn't waver, that supports one another, encourages one another and will make sacrifices in the face of persecution together. It may have been an entirely different story if Dr. Stockmann's family had decided to be a part of the majority - would have been able to stand anyway? I think that its questionable.
Their unity and perseverance in the truth is what brought them to a place of isolation and ridicule, but if the story had continued I am convinced that the town would have begun to the truth. Once believing the truth, they would have made effort for others to see this to prevent health issues. As the body of Christ we need this same zeal and unity to push forward towards the goal.