Are you captivated by watching hummingbirds? I certainly am! They are the cutest little birds that zip around so fast it’s hard to actually see them until they are on a resting spot. I hang feeders for them every year because I find them very entertaining to observe. They love my feeders and they also love all the flowers that I have blooming all summer. I see them sipping out of petunias, geraniums and the like. Not only are they cute and fast, they have very interesting behaviors. The nectar in the feeder is a prized treat worthy of defending. Even though each feeder has multiple drinking spots, they struggle to share. Each bird only gets a few sips before it is chased away by a competitor. I often just shake my head at their actions. They unnecessarily spend so much energy fighting each other. My Enneagram 9 brain thinks, “why can’t they all just get along? There is plenty of food to go around, just stop fighting each other!” Then my practical brain responds, “that’s how God made them. It’s survival of the fittest.”
So, what is the spiritual application with observing hummingbirds? Push your way through life to get what you can get? Prove your dominance? Uh, no! I don't see that in the Bible anywhere.
How about if we consider what we are wasting our energy on? I don’t want to be like the hummingbird that spends all my energy defending my territory and keeping away competitors. I believe there is no competition in the Kingdom of God. We each have a job to do with equal importance. I don't want to entertain thoughts of jealousy, comparison or feeling threatened by someone else's successes. I also don’t want to spend my energy and brain space on hurts, resentment and unforgiveness towards others. All of these things are energy zappers, and I don’t want to participate with them. These unhealthy internal dialogues drain us emotionally, because we are fighting a battle that doesn't need to be fought- just like the hummingbird. We can so easily fall prey to energy zappers and be totally unaware of what is happening and how it is impacting us.
What I do want to spend my energy on is love, unity and blessing. I want to be the person that builds up, champions, blesses and protects. I want my friends and family to know that I have their backs and I will be there for them in any hardship they may go through. I want them to know that I will joyfully celebrate their successes.
As we analyze the behaviors of the hummingbird it reveals some truths to us that we can pay attention to. Showing dominance, superiority, proving our strength and intelligence isn't always productive. Let's be cognizant of these things the next time we have a conflict, disagreement, online discussion etc. and lean into harmony, unity and respect. In the Kingdom of God, there's plenty of room at the feeder for all of us.
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