Catch us the foxes, The little foxes that spoil the vines, For our vines have tender grapes. (Song of Solomon 2:15, N.K.J.V.)

In Hand Me Another Brick, Chuck Swindoll’s commentary on the book of Nehemiah, he tells the story of a small town in northeastern Pennsylvania that built a red brick building to house its police department, fire department, and city hall. The community was understandably quite proud of the achievement, and a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held to dedicate the building. More than 6,000 people attended, nearly the entire population of the town.

Less than two months later, though, some scary looking cracks suddenly appeared on the side of the building. Not long afterward the building’s windows stopped closing all the way. Next, the same thing happened with the doors. Then the floor shifted so much that unsightly gaps were left in the floor covering and corners. Finally, the roof began to leak. Within a few more months, the building had to be evacuated because it was no longer a safe environment in which to work. The builder who had been hired to build it was beyond embarrassed, and the taxpayers who would be paying for it for years to come were furious.

A firm was brought in to do a thorough analysis of what had happened. After much research the firm concluded that the blasts from a nearby mining area were slowly but surely creating unseen shifts in the ground beneath the building’s foundation. Those shifts were causing the foundation to crack, and those cracks were creating an unstable platform for the building. Even though no one could feel the blasts in the town, what was happening out of sight deep down underground was affecting what was happening in sight above the ground. Once this truth became known, a city official had to write the following words across the door to the building: “Condemned. Not fit for public use.” Later on the building was demolished.

This story should serve as a reminder to you, Christian. It should remind you that little problems deep down inside you can ultimately cause the demolition of your personal life. A slight spiritual compromise here…Cutting a moral corner there…A quick dance with rebellion…A worldly relationship left unchecked…A pet sin continued…No interest in Bible study…No time for prayer…Church attendance not a priority…Giving optional…Witnessing non existent…Each of these is a detonation that creates a shock wave inside you, the effects of which will eventually begin cropping up in your conduct. The answer, of course, is confession and repentance because as long as your destructive blasts keep occurring, you’ll never get your foundation fixed.

In Song of Solomon 2:15, the Bible references how the little foxes were the ones that were well known for ruining grape vines in Israel. Whereas the larger foxes could easily be spotted and either caught or at least kept away from the vine, the little foxes were harder to manage. In that way, they played the role of object lessons to show that it’s the supposed “little” sins that can ruin a life. Therefore, Christian, you need to stop your blasting and curtail your little foxes. And if you refuse to do so the result will surely be a life that becomes irreparably damaged.