The theme of pro-activity continues. As wise men have observed over the centuries, there is a close metaphorical parallel between the creative project, be it in the arts or business, and the birth of a baby.

Both begin with a desire, the one leading to a physical conception -- and the other to an inspiration, an insight, an idea, a purpose that excites the imagination and energizes the will. Both entities must then be preserved, protected and allowed to gestate and grow, as they surely will if properly nourished – so that, at the right time, a beautiful new creation enters the world.

Although we cannot understand how God imparts the human spirit to an embryo or how it develops in the womb (i.e. the astonishing process of gastrulation whereby specialist tissue cells develop) or the magical process of inspiration that can grow into a creative achievement, as it surely will, we have been given the ability to methodically trigger and take advantage of both processes.

Perhaps the clue to Solomon’s creative intention here occurs in the last line of the verse, where he points out that God is the Maker of all things -- and although we cannot understand the works of God, we can observe them closely in order to be inspired to achieve excellence in all we do.

It was never God’s intention that man should forever pass his time in the Garden of Eden, passively tending the plants – but that he would learn from that amazing metaphorical environment that buzzed with creative principles, and so begin to think, learn, meditate and imagine, conceive and plan, invent, design and build, and make the world an ever more interesting and stimulating place to live.