Hummingbirds Competing when there is Plenty

Hummingbirds are beautiful and curious creatures. I love to watch them at our nectar feeders. They are said to have omenice meanings when sighted, like a good omen or inspiration of hope. I don’t subscribe too much meaning to those sentiments, but watching two little hummers compete over the same feeding receptacle when six more are available does give me great delight.

It brings to mind a phenomenon that I myself have fallen into. If I see someone being successful and enjoying what they are doing in their calling I may try to step into that identity or role for myself. I will emulate what they are doing, thinking it must be good since they are having success with it. But the truth is there are lots of places to impart my gift and while I should celebrate that person's success, and learn what I can from it, I need to speak in my own authentic voice and share what has been uniquely planted in me. The world is brighter when I shine my own light instead of casting a shadow in someone else’s.

This can be true in marriages. You see a friend's social media posts of their wonderful vacations, their youthful bodies and seeming idyllic family and think, ‘wow we should be like them.” I remember going through a bit of covetousness myself as our teenagers struggled mightily. It was so hard to understand what we did wrong. While other parents were celebrating all the accolades and honors their children were achieving we were just trying to keep everyone alive and out of jail. What had we done wrong?

For my part, I had taken my eyes off of my own provision. I had allowed someone else’s success and blessings to cause me to compare my situation to theirs. Risking wasting the season God was bringing me through. I was not being kept from blessings; it was that I had my own path to traverse and my own testimony to write. God was answering my prayers and giving me signs of hope everywhere, like a little hummingbird showing up at my feeders.

Some true facts about hummingbirds: they can fly backwards, they migrate solo for up to 500 miles at a time, they have no sense of smell but great vision (research shows they can be trained to recognize individual faces), they can consume up to double their body weight in nectar per day. (https://www.kaytee.com/learn-care/wild-bird/hummingbird-facts)

Psalm 139:13-14 For you formed my inward parts; you wove me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are your works, and my soul knows it very well.