Think back to the last time you pretended to be an animal. What animal were you? If you’re a parent or caretaker of little ones you might have been a cat or dog only yesterday. For others, perhaps you can think back to your own childhood.
Were you a lion, big and strong? Did you let out a deafening roar, reminding everyone you were king of the jungle? Maybe you magically transformed into a gorilla when you’d ball your little hands into fists and start pounding your chest. Or an elephant! You’d cover your nose with your shoulder and let your arm dangle in front of you. You’d lean your head back, throw your “trunk” into the air, and trumpet loudly for all to hear.
Did you ever pretend to be a hummingbird? I know I didn’t. An eagle, yes. An owl? Oh, for sure! I know I’m not the only one who tried to do a 360 with my head! But a hummingbird? No.
It’s not that I didn’t like hummingbirds. I just never considered them. They’re so small and hard to see. This makes me wonder, though, does small mean insignificant? I certainly don’t think so.
Hummingbirds may be a lot of things, but one thing they are not is insignificant.
Sure, they’re the smallest bird in the world, and catching a glimpse of them might be difficult, but hummingbirds are also graceful, nimble, and captivating.
As a matter of fact, if I could be any animal right now, I just might choose the hummingbird.
And here’s why: I know what it’s like to feel small and insignificant. Even unseen. Do you? Like what you have to offer just isn’t enough? I hope I’m not the first to tell you this, but even if I am, listen carefully:
You may be a lot of things, but one thing you are not is insignificant.
Just like the hummingbird, you add value to everyone around you and you have a lot to offer!
So, let’s pretend to squeeze into a pair of those teeny tiny wings and see what value we can bring to the world as hummingbirds.
Be Quick!
Hummingbirds are probably most known for being small and FAST! A hummingbird’s wings can beat about 70 times per second in normal flight and up to 200 beats per second while diving. Their average speed is 25-30 mph but they can fly up to 60 mph in a fast dive! Plain and simple: they are quick!
Here are 4 ways we can be quick like a hummingbird and add value to those around us:
1. Be quick to show and spread love. Hummingbirds have the largest hearts proportionate to their body size of any other bird! Their hearts beat up to 1200 times per minute in flight. Their enlarged hearts are needed for the amount of energy it takes for them to fly and hover. They visit more than 1,000 flowers a day, drinking nectar and pollinating wildflowers along the way.
Lord, let our hearts grow in love for others! 1 Corinthians 16:14 says, “Let all that you do be done with love.” (NKJV) It doesn’t say let all the “incredible, impressive, mind-blowing, life-altering” things. No, it says “all” things.
From helping the elderly woman at the grocery store load up her car to stopping long enough to say a quick, “Thank you,” to a man or woman in uniform. Do it all in love.
Spread love as quickly as a hummingbird drifts from flower to flower. It doesn’t take much. A quick smile. A heartfelt compliment. An encouraging word. It’s a small (but significant) thing.
2. Be quick to direct peoples’ attention to the God of hope.
My husband hung a red hummingbird feeder right outside our kitchen window. It didn’t take long for the hummingbirds to start dropping by for quick visits here and there. They’d hover around the feeder for a second or two then zoom away, sometimes perching on the small branches of a nearby tree.
We try to keep our family conversations at dinnertime lighthearted, but it’s 2020, right? On more than one occasion we’ve gotten caught up in worrisome conversations concerning work, school, the pandemic, etc. An amazing thing happens when a hummingbird shows up though. One person will say, “Hummingbird!” and the conversation stops. Every single time. The worries, disappointments, or issues are forgotten because our attention has been drawn to a small but fascinating bird.
When we take our eyes off our problems and focus on something more positive, suddenly those problems don’t seem so big. You and I have the ability to help others do that! We can draw peoples’ attention away from their troubles and point them towards God, who has the answers.
3. Be quick to focus on what you CAN do, not what you CAN’T do.
As incredible as these little birds are, they do have a flaw. They can’t walk! Their feet are extremely small so they can only perch on small branches and sometimes scoot. To move positions, they have to use their wings.
On the other hand, hummingbirds are the only birds who can fly backward! Also, instead of the typical upward and downward motion of a bird’s wings, they have the unique ability to pivot their wings in a figure-eight type movement. This is what allows them to hover and change directions so quickly.
They’re unique and special! I’ve never looked at a hummingbird and thought, “Hmmm, neat bird. Too bad it can’t walk!” No! It’s more like, “Wow! Look at how fast it is! That’s so awesome!”
Friend, nobody is perfect. We all have weaknesses. The good news is, great or small, you have special characteristics, strengths, and talents that are unique to you! Use them. The world needs you to be yourself and to use what you’ve got.
4. Be quick to reflect God’s beauty in your life.
Unlike most bird species that have around 1,500-25,000 feathers, hummingbirds have less than 1,000. They’re able to change their feather colors while flying! They can flash their bright colors when they choose to, and they can hide them if needed. Their iridescent coloring is easily recognizable and absolutely stunning. As a matter of fact, hummingbirds are known as “flying jewels”.
Like the hummingbird, we can choose whether or not we let others see what God is doing in our lives. How He’s changing us from the inside out. We can try to blend in and not ruffle any feathers, so to say, or we can be bold enough to reveal our true colors. We can talk about the darkness He brought us out of.
We can become a “flying jewel” of sorts: easily recognizable and absolutely stunning. All for God’s glory.
I believe if we do these four things we’ll never feel insignificant. Instead, we’ll find purpose and meaning in even the smallest moments of our lives. With small acts, we can love others, spread hope, focus on the good, and share God with those we come in contact with. In doing so, we can make a world of difference.
If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way.
Napoleon Hill
You could create interest in any topic! Good job!
Thank you! I appreciate that. Thanks for reading!