This past week during my travels for work I read a church sign that was extremely thought provoking. It simply read, “Be a fountain, not a drain.”
Truly, as Christians we ought to be a fountain to others. We ought to be a fountain of love, encouragement, praise, honor, help, joy, and everything else that is good. We need to ask ourselves though whether we are indeed the fountain of goodness we should be (Matthew 22:39). Are we a fountain to our spouse, our children, our grandchildren, our neighbors, our friends, our co-workers or our brothers and sisters in Christ? Can we honestly say we are a source of positivity to them (Philippians 2:3,4)?
Or could it be better stated that we are drains on the lives of those that we say we love the most? Do we say and do things that discourage them, disappoint them, deflate them, devastate them, or drive them away from wanting to serve God?
We must keep in mind at all times that our speech and our actions make an impact on the lives of others. In other words, we cannot escape the fact that we are indeed either a fountain or a drain to others.
I challenge all of us to think deeply about this matter. If indeed we can say in our heart we are a fountain, then we need to make a commitment to continue what we are practicing. If, however, we have come to the realization we are a drain to others, then we need to repent of our wrongdoing and make a promise to God and ourselves that we will change the course of our life.
Are you a fountain or a drain?