Issue 1266 – Hummers – October 5, 2023

For whatever reason, I awoke this morning thinking about hummers. Not the great big gas-guzzling behemoths that, in theory, can take you anywhere off-road or on (although most of them are really toys for show.)

I was thinking about the tiny flying ones, hummingbirds. I woke up wondering how long they lived. My inner geek wouldn’t be satisfied until I had a look.

90% of hummingbirds don’t survive their first year. Depending on species and conditions, they have an average life span of 3-5 years. The oldest hummingbird on record was a Broad-Tailed Hummingbird in California who was at least 12 years old the last time she was captured.

In my search, I learned of the giant hummingbird, a South American species. To me, that sounded like an oxymoron, a contradiction in terms. Most hummingbirds are pretty tiny, but this giant has a body the size of a cardinal. It has a body length of 3 inches and a wingspan of 7-8 inches.

When I think of the speed at which a hummingbird can fly past me, I imagine one of these giants passing by would have a colossal startle factor. They are apparently one of the longest living species of hummer, but I couldn’t track down specifics in a quick online search.

The lifespan of a hummingbird is short compared to humans, but they do live a full life. According to one online source, a person’s average overall life span is 73.4 years (76 years for women and 70.4 for men.) The longest average life span is found in Hong Kong (85.8 years average) and the shortest in Chad (53.8 years.)

When the Lord created us, life spans were much longer as even a casual reading of the Old Testament will reveal. The Scriptures tell us that Methuselah lived 969 years (Genesis 5:27). One interpretation of the Scripture suggests that God limited our lifespan to 120 years.

Then the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years. Genesis 6:3

While that number is still far more than today’s averages, it doesn’t come close to the ages of the early people of the Bible.

However, a case can be made that this verse isn’t referring to life span, but rather a waning of the flood to come in Noah’s time. That is a topic for another day.

Whether we die in infancy, hit Hong King averages or manage to live as long as Methuselah, our time on this side of the grave is most definitely limited.

“Man who is born of a woman is few of days and full of trouble. He comes out like a flower and withers; he flees like a shadow and continues not. And do you open your eyes on such a one and bring me into judgment with you? Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? There is not one. Since his days are determined, and the number of his months is with you, and you have appointed his limits that he cannot pass Job 14:1-5

Death comes for all. God alone knows the good and evil that has come out of mankind’s search for eternal life on this side of the grave. I think the concept of living forever fuels the popularity of vampire stories and similar tales.

God calls us to make full use of our lives. 

Perhaps it seems as short as a hummingbird or as long as Methuselah, but whatever He has given us is a gift.

Let’s use it wisely.

Be blessed

Hallelu Yah / Praise God 

Kevin

Gleanings From The Word

Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life. 

Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)

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All contents, “Gleanings From The Word” and “Experience an Extraordinary God in Ordinary Life,” are © 2001, 2023 KF “Kevin” Corbin Gleanings From The Word.

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is from the English Standard Version (ESV). 

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