Editorial

God thought of it first

When my kids were young they were given a book, God Thought of it First. It is a beautifully illustrated children’s book that compares human invention with examples from nature that follow the same principles: the helicopter that mimics the hovering motion of the hummingbird, the tanks of a submarine that behave like the chambers of a nautilus, snowshoes that imitate rabbits’ feet. Each page repeats the line “but God is the one who thought of it first.”

This book is really a young child’s guide to biomimicry – a whole field of Science that has been developed around mimicking nature. Christians would understand biomimicry as identifying and being inspired by God’s creative work.

I was reminded of this book recently. In a time when hydrogen powered vehicles are starting to take off as a solution to our shortage of fossil fuels, Monash University scientists have discovered a bacteria that uses the same ‘technology’ to convert hydrogen in the air to electricity. “But God is the one who thought of it first!”

The writer of Ecclesiastes tells us;

“What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which one can say, "Look! This is something new"? It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time.” Ecclesiastes 1: 9-10

This verse from Ecclesiastes can be a reminder that God is the Master Designer – a wise calling to remember our Creator (cf. 9:16, 12:1). Whatever problem we encounter God has already imagined the solution.

We are parenting and teaching a generation (mostly Gen Z) characterised by sky-rocketing anxiety and a lack of hope in the future. Gen Z young people (born from 1997 to 2013) are trying to find solutions in a season of accelerating cultural change and instability on a planet in environmental decline. In their lifetime, a Gen Z young person has experienced terrorism and war, the Great Recession, climate change and a pandemic. This can leave them seeing more problems than solutions.

As Christian educators and parents we are able to speak hope into the confusion, to flood our children with the stories of God’s provisions and solutions to everyday problems as well as the ultimate solution to our future in Christ. Let’s celebrate the discoveries, advancements of technology and clever strategies used to solve problems, but as we embrace them clearly identify the author of all solutions.

Meditation as a remedy for anxiety? – “Be still and know” - God thought of it first!

Velcro for fastening? – look at the burrs with all their tiny hooks – God thought of it first! 

Solutions to traffic jams? – look at the ants …  God thought of it first!

Zero emissions airconditioning? – look at the termite mounds – God thought of it first!

As the parents and teachers of this generation, let us be characterised by our repeated utterance of the phrase ‘but God is the one who thought of it first!’ as we highlight solution after solution of God’s grace. Let us be deliberate in passing on this legacy of hope.