Have you ever watched hummingbirds at a feeder? Every year I hang feeders with clear sugar water (4 parts water to 1 part sugar) for the ruby-throated hummingbirds. I enjoy watching them zip through my yard as they defend the feeders. One will claim the feeder and chase off others that also want a drink. While the chaser and the one being chased fly off, another hummingbird flies to the feeder and sneaks a drink. This fight for the feeders happens for months, starting late spring and continuing throughout the summer. When summer starts turning to fall, daylight shortens, temperatures cool, and flowers begin fading. This change puts a stop to the hummingbird battles.
Why do they stop fighting? Hummingbirds must fill their bellies and leave Tennessee before the winter weather arrives. They seem to become more tolerant of other hummingbirds as they fill their bellies and increase in weight (called hyperphagia) by 25-40%. Several hummingbirds can be seen sharing the same feeder before they migrate south. Once they begin migrating, they will stop to drink from feeders and flowers on their way to the U.S. Gulf coast of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida.
Once on the coast, they will wait for the right weather conditions to fly 500 miles (804 km) across the Gulf to reach southern Mexico, Honduras, Costa Rica, and even as far as Panama. When they reach the shore, they will stay all winter and return to North America in the spring.
Psalms 133:1 says, “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!”
Hummingbirds compete for their daily needs most of the year, but when it comes time to migrate, they become unified in their mission to survive. Sometimes we compete with others while playing games or sports. These activities can be a lot of fun, but they do not define us as people. Winning or losing a competition is not our identity. Our identity is found in Christ alone. When we value others on the journey with us, we see them differently. Instead of fighting to be the winner, we can find ways to help others cross the finish line. Living a life of unity doesn’t mean you can’t have fun. Unity means that we are for each other whether we are competing or just cheering from the stands.
