- What does the word “foundation” mean? (A base or support; a body or ground on which something is built, etc.)
A solid foundation lays the groundwork for something strong and mighty to be built on it. We would never want to live in a home or go to a school with cracks in the foundation because it would make the building unstable and could collapse from the lack of support.
Last year, a fifty-two-year-old traffic bridge in Pittsburgh collapsed. These types of bridges have to pass safety inspections in order to ensure they can support the weight of cars, and this particular bridge received a poor rating in its most recent inspection. A few months after that poor rating, it collapsed. Let’s watch the dramatic end to this bridge:
Please play the following clip [2:38]:
Bridge collapses near Pittsburgh
- Do you think people would have traveled on this bridge if they’d known it recently received a poor safety rating? Why or why not? (Answers will vary.)
This bridge was a good example of a structure that did not have a firm foundation. There are other non-structural foundations we depend on, too.
- What are things you can think of which need a solid foundation? (Answers might include: our family relationships; our church family; a strong friendship; etc.)
- Have you ever experienced a time where a broken foundation destroyed something important to you? (Answers will vary; students might talk about broken friendships or bad attitudes that broke down trust with a parent or sibling, etc.)
This bridge was a major engineering and structural failure. Those who had recently inspected it knew it was no longer a solid foundation and yet still believed the bridge was functional. How foolish of them! After this monumental mistake, it’s likely that safety inspectors will look more carefully to ensure bridges are safe, strong, and supportive.
We, too, want to withstand the storms that come into our lives and know we’re not going to be blown over by them. Today, we’ll discuss how we can have a firm foundation in our lives.
