Hummingbirds are creatures that ought not be able to do lots of things that they can do. Weighing in at a hefty 0.1(smallest) to 1.0 (largest) ounce, which is approximately the same as a marshmallow, these amazing creatures break many laws of nature. They can hover in the air, fly backwards, change directions mid-air/mid-flight in a fraction of a second, fly up to 30 mph, and travel hundreds, even thousands of miles during migration.  

These little things eat from 30-100% of their body weight in calories each day, but they burn every bit of it off. They consume between 3,000 and 7,000 calories per day! The average American diet is 2,200 calories. Imagine if we ate 7,000 calories per day! Additionally, just before migration, these amazing birds can double their body weight by eating that much more per day. This consumption leads to extra burn as they are heavier and store up the excess baggage as fat to fuel them on their journey.  

I have 4 hummer feeders around my house because I am both amazed and delighted by these creations, so the closer I can observe them, the happier I am. I honestly think they hum louder after they have been to the trough to feed. I like to think they are humming a “fat and happy” tune. Since the humming sound comes from the rapid movement of their wings, the loudness is probably from having to work harder with the extra weight on board! 

The hummers are storing up for the big migration journey to the tropics, so they are power-eating right now. The amount of nectar that would last a week in my feeders during the summer lasts only about a day and a half.  

With as many feeders as I have, and as many “seats” as there are at each “table”, you would think there wouldn’t be any fighting. Oh, but there is! The birds spend much of their feeding frenzy time chasing one another off the feeders or out of the vicinity. I try to talk to them and tell them that there is plenty of nectar to go around, and that once they burn through it, I will provide more, but they don’t seem to understand me, because as much as I talk, their behavior doesn’t change.  

It makes me wonder if God feels much the same way as he watches us, His amazing creation. He speaks to us through His Word, His creation, His people, and for those who have a relationship with Him, He speaks to our hearts. But often our behavior doesn’t change – we forget or tune Him out as we scurry about trying to get fat on His provision.  We unnecessarily bicker and fight over the abundance. We compete for business, power, money, prestige, attention, affection… forgetting that God tells us He provides everything we need. 

“Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; Yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” Matthew 6:25 

I am happy to be the hands of Jesus in providing for the birds, but He certainly doesn’t need my help. Jesus tells us how much more valuable we are to God than even His incredible creation of the hummingbird, and that He will provide just what we need.  

Matthew 6:32-34 takes it a step beyond affirming our value: “Your heavenly Father knows that you need these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. So don’t worry about tomorrow”. An assurance – God knows what we need. A command – seek first what GOD has for us. A promise – the stuff we NEED will be given. Another command – DON’T WORRY!  

There is a hymn whose lyrics repeat Matthew 6:33 that we, and the hummers, would do well to hum to ourselves when we get frantic about acquiring things: Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you, Hallelu, hallelu-jah!