Are You Being Undermined?

I was recently sitting in one of my favorite hotels in Limerick, Ireland, where I’ve stayed many times. I’ve visited the Emerald Island once or twice a year for many years now; it’s hard to grasp. I’ve met many people who have wanted to visit this interesting and beautiful isle in the North Atlantic for much of their lives. Yet I somehow reaped the benefits of helping start a church as a management team member in this working-class city. I was on the seventh floor with a small patio overlooking the Shannon River, which is flowing rapidly toward the ocean a few miles away. 

Upstream, I could see King John’s Castle, built between 1200 and 1210. The stalwart walls stand proudly, overlooking the river with bright green hills in the distance. During one of my visits to the castle museum, I learned the history of an important term: “undermine.” 

Like many of us, I have occasionally used this word to explain something insidious people do to crumble and perhaps destroy something or someone. More often, we undermine ourselves. I’ve watched people undermine their marriages, careers, friendships, physical bodies, and even their spirits most of my life. Unfortunately, I’ve participated a few times myself.

Fortress walls, like those of King John, are thick stone structures, nearly impossible to penetrate with weapons of those days. Walls were thick enough to walk on top, two/three abreast, with some wide enough to navigate a chariot. Numerous arrowslits were spaced around the perimeter, allowing archers and small guns to shoot with a wide range at opposing forces, while the “slit” in front was very narrow and hard to hit from the outside.

In the old days, city walls were critical. Like in the days of Nehemiah the wall-builder, when the walls of Jerusalem had been destroyed years earlier by the Babylonians, enemies could easily run roughshod over the local population. These defensive structures were much like Israel’s Iron Dome in modern terms. The bottom line was that if your walls caved in, so did you.

But how did an army penetrate the walls?

They started digging, “mining” under the castle walls. Slowly but surely, shovel full after shovel full, dirt and stone were removed. Ultimately, if the strategy worked properly, the walls weakened until cannon fire or the like could demolish a section of the wall, allowing the opposing army entrance into the city, which was bad news for the inhabitants.

Our enemy, Satan, is an expert at undermining. He observes us day after day, year after year, and knows the weak points in our defenses. Our weaknesses are the areas of our lives where we’re vulnerable to temptation. Our opponent is wily and relentless. He will silently, often without notice, erode our foundations until one day all hell breaks loose, the wall caves in, and we’re in big trouble – trouble of our own choosing. 

So, where is your enemy presently undermining you, and what can you do about it?

Are you familiar with a Major League Baseball player who has these statistics?

  All-time MLB leader in hits (4,256). He is called “The Hit King.”

  17× All-Star

  3× World Series champion

This record would easily make this player a candidate and choice for the Baseball Hall of Fame. But he’s never made it. Why?

His name is Pete Rose, and he is one of baseball’s greats. Pete died in 2024, and even though the eligibility rules were changed, it will likely be 2027/28 before he can be inducted. But why didn’t he make it in the first place?

Pete Rose had a gambling problem. While managing the Cincinnati Reds, he bet on baseball games, including those involving his own team. This is strictly forbidden, and for good reason. Pete knew it, but he did it anyway.

Over the years, Rose developed a serious gambling habit that culminated in his devastating choices. Pete didn’t wake up one day and decide to bet large sums on baseball. His weakness developed slowly and insidiously over many years.

Gambling undermined one of the great players of all-time.

How did someone so successful allow something so foolish to ruin him? Shovel after shovel, rock upon rock, stone upon stone, were removed from the wall of his character as a weakness got out of hand. Finally, the wall collapsed. 

All of us have weak points in our defensive walls that can be exploited. What is/are yours?

Undermining often did not work as planned. Defenders learned how to fend off their underground opponents. You can too.

·      Sometimes containers of water around the walls. If the water had ripples on it, miners were likely at work. Then they could prepare countermeasures.

Your water containers of defense often come from two sources.  One: Your internal voices will begin to speak to your conscience. “You are overdoing it aren’t you.” “That is not right.” “You are walking a thin line right now.” “This is getting out of hand.” “You know better than this.” 

If you are a follower of Christ, the Holy Spirit in you will prompt that voice. Literally, for Pete’s sake, listen and pay heed!  Otherwise, even if you’re not a Christian, the voice is real.

Two:  Voices outside your head. You have friends, family members, co-workers, and others who will drop subtle or not-so-subtle hints about your bad behavior. Again, for Pete’s sake, listen and heed the message. Our friends often see things in us that we choose to overlook because they feel good. Many a fine person has been brought back from the edge by a good friend or family member. Once again, God orchestrates your salvation from destruction.

·      Counter-mining and Smoking Out. Sometimes defenders would dig their own mines to stop enemies in their tracks or to make the opponents’ mines cave in.

What personal disciplines keep you on the straight and narrow? When we are undermining ourselves, we often abandon practices that help us stay centered. What are those for you? 

Basic habits like daily Bible reading (devotions), prayer, church involvement, reading or listening to uplifting sources, community groups, and personal responsibilities serve as countermeasures against bad behavior. Solid disciplines can “smoke out” harmful tendencies.

These practices create “retrenchment” walls that serve as barriers.

·      Preventive Design. Many castles and fortresses were built on solid bedrock with water-filled moats surrounding them.  Mining was impossible against solid rock.

Jesus told a story about two different kinds of people. The first person built their house on sand. The second person built their residence on solid bedrock.

The inevitable storms of life came on both structures. The house on the sand was ultimately undermined by the weather and collapsed. The second house stood strong no matter what the weather.

Jesus went on to explain that He is the rock. If you want it to stand, build your house on him. He cannot be undermined. Your proximity to God will define your inner strength. Stay close to Jesus, and you will likely stand firm.

Many walls have fallen that could have been effectively defended, and the enemy overcame.  For Pete’s sake, don’t let yours be one of them!

Live Inspired!

Don Mark

P.S. Much of my writing has decreased in recent months due to my extra responsibilities as the interim pastor at Fork Christian Church in Maryland. I preach at this church most Sundays. If you would like to join us on some Sunday, check out www.forkchristian.org.