Undermining has diverse effects.
The Webster’s Dictionary defines undermine as:
un·der·mine
- un·der·mined, un·der·min·ing, un·der·mines
- To weaken by wearing away a base or foundation: 2. To weaken, injure, or impair, often by degrees or imperceptibly; sap:
- To dig a mine or tunnel beneath.
Any time you build something it will only be as structurally sound as the foundation. Regardless of how well the building is built, a bad foundation will not hold it erect. The same can be said of relationships, when built on lies and deceit, any relationship built on that will be shaky and crumble into ruins. There is a story in the Bible about a walled city, by the name of Jericho. There was no way to take the city unless they could get past the walls. Joshua was commanded by God to march around the city six days, and on the seventh day march around the city seven times and then blow trumpets and shout. When Joshua followed the commands of God and marched around the city one time for six days and seven times the seventh day the walls came tumbling down. Why did this happen? The answer is quite simple they undermineded the foundation.
The same thing happens when you have a sturdy building and you have any type of vermin that burrow beneath it. Eventually the foundation will crack and the building will fall due to structural defaults. The best way to guard against this happening is to inspect the foundation on a regular basis and make sure there are no vermin trying to burrow beneath it. When you find such a being it must be eradicated in order to save the building.
This is true of relationships also, even ones that were built on good strong moral foundations can be vulnerable to infestation, undermining, and collapse. How can you avoid this? By constantly reaffirming the foundation that holds relationship secure. This rule applies to marriages, friendships, and our relationship with God. Whenever there is an outside force trying to infiltrate and do damage, if not guarded against, can destroy a foundation, and relationship.
So how do you constantly maintain a building, or relationship, to keep it strong and true? If it is a marriage, I suggest love letters, flowers, date nights, attending church together. If it is a building, inspect the foundation for rats, mice, groundhogs, and termites. If found take the proper steps to keep the foundation strong and intact. If it’s a relationship with God, stay in close proximity by walking, talking, and reading the Word of God daily. This will keep your foundation firm, strong, and just like the stone the builders rejected, a forever cornerstone.
As parents we need to teach our children some of the basic rules for laying the foundations of a good character. There’s an old saying that goes like this; a man’s word is his bond. You need to make them understand that lying, cheating, and talking behind someone’s back do not make a person with a strong personal character, or foundation. What you say you must mean, so people know they can count on you. Raising your children in the fear and admonition of the Lord and teaching your children from a very young age to always tell the truth no matter what the circumstance, would be a good place to start building that foundation. They will stand firm no matter what the world throws at them, when they build their character on the firm foundation of Jesus Christ.
We as authors have to be careful whenever we write, that we do not plagiarize. Even if done without intent it will still tear down all of our writing. The same is true of a person’s character, if someone digs down and finds cracks and defaults in someone’s foundation often times their whole persona will collapse. Whenever you write, do it with a firm foundation of dignity, honor, and truthfulness.
Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
Matthew 7:24
He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.
Luke 6:48
If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?
Psalms 11:3
And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days.
And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams’ horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets.
And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him.
Joshua 6:4-6