有時，智慧之言會在意想不到時悄然浮現。最近我讀到一篇關於美式足球選手特拉維斯．凱爾西（Travis Kelce）的文章，提到有一位因凱爾西而心力交瘁的教練曾對他說：「你遇到的人，要不是泉源，就是排水口！」這句話令我印象深刻，你應該不難猜出當時的凱爾西被歸納為哪一類人了！

我們每個人多少都有這兩種特質。但在某些特定的時刻，我們的言行會傾向其中一方。然而，我們蒙召效法耶穌的樣式，就是要成為活水的泉源，而不是讓人乾涸的排水口。

我們在腓立比書2章可以看到類似的提醒。保羅勸勉信徒，要效法耶穌的謙卑和顧念別人。他對比了讓人耗盡心力的行為和造就他人的表現。他說：「不要自私自利，也不要貪圖虛榮，只要謙卑，看別人比自己強；各人不要單顧自己的事，也要顧別人的事」（3-4節，新譯本）。過後，他直接地說：「凡所行的，都不要發怨言、起爭論。」（14節）

哪些人像排水口？就是以自我為中心、驕傲自大、習慣抱怨和喜好爭辯的人。哪些人像泉源？保羅以提摩太為例說，沒有人像提摩太那樣，跟他一同真正關心信徒的事（20節）。

我們是泉源還是排水口呢？當我們渴望成為別人的祝福時，這個問題確實值得你我深思。

Sometimes a bit of wisdom drops in when we least expect it. That happened recently as I was reading an article about American football player Travis Kelce. A frustrated coach once told him, “Everybody you meet in this world is either a fountain or a drain.” You can probably figure out which one Kelce was being!

Perhaps all of us have a bit of both elements in us. But at any given moment, we’re likely behaving one way or the other. And our call to follow Jesus means becoming more fountain, less drain.

I hear a similar idea in Philippians 2, where Paul challenges us to imitate Jesus’ humility and focus on others. Paul contrasts what drains life from others with what fills them up: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility, value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others” (vv. 3-4). A bit later in this chapter, he adds bluntly, “Do everything without grumbling or arguing” (v. 14).

What does it look like to be a drain? Being self-focused and arrogant; complaining and arguing. And being a fountain? Paul says of Timothy, “I have no one else like him, who will show genuine concern for your welfare” (v. 20).

Are we being more like a fountain or a drain? That’s a question worth pondering as we seek to bless others.