Artist David Arms uses the image of a hummingbird to symbolize humans, and I would dare to say that a freshman in college is like a hummingbird drinking a five hour energy drink.  Arms says we are like hummingbirds because we are in perpetual motion.  We never slow down!  To an eighteen-year old, we add that perpetual motion to the thrill of freedom in a whole new world, and suddenly the hummingbird is chugging that five hour energy in order to put motion in hyper drive.  In looking at discipleship, we often times observe the hummingbird principle in these students.  We read multiple chapters a day with the hope of taking it all in at once and being transformed. Put yourself in the shoes of the hummingbird disciple on hyper drive and you see that he is simply seeking the quickest way to “do the right thing” and keep moving, without being completely transformed.  What if we took the typical discipleship approach and slowed it down in order to truly promote transformation?

Slow down, repeat, and become saturated!  We must teach our hyper hummingbirds to slowly take in God’s word, saturating them in one passage, making it a part of who they are.  What if we challenged our students to take one passage a week and devote their time and attention to meditating on the depths of God’s heart, character, and actions being expressed?  Each day they would go deeper in the passage.  From the first day until the last, moving them from observing the passage, to interpreting the passage, and finally to applying the passage to their lives.  Our hearts’ desire would be that by the end of the week, they could close their eyes and vividly picture the text rolling through their minds like an event in their life.  An event with their “first love” that shows them more about him, themselves, and their relationship with him.  As this happens the passage becomes a part of who they are at their core.  By the power of the Spirit working through the word, their minds are renewed and transformed.

I began speaking to students on university campuses in the state of Kentucky about this process, teaching them to slowly and simply engage one passage for a whole week, guiding them to ask questions of the text, and allowing the Spirit to  lead them in their study.  Teaching a hummingbird to slow down can be difficult, but if our minds are to be transformed I truly believe it is necessary.  The word of God has not been given to us to conquer in a certain amount of time, or to be used to formulate lists for “doing the right thing.”  Any hummingbird can modify their behavior. Close your eyes and allow the images of our Lord’s character to wash over you as you process the truths of his word, and you will experience beautiful intimacy which naturally leads to transformation.  Dallas Willard defines transformation as, “doing the right thing without even thinking about it.”  When we teach our students to be still and know who God is they will no longer think about “doing the right thing,” but instead will infiltrate our campuses with the mind, heart, and actions of Christ.  “For from him, and through him, and to him are all things.  To him be glory forever. Amen” (Romans 11:36).