6) What are the Details of how a Tree Grows?
Meristem
The Cambium layer, which causes tree growth, takes place in a specific area called the Meristem. This Meristem region is at the end of every branch and every root, this is where new cells are generated. First cells are created, then they grow longer, and then they grow wider. In our analogy, the Holy Spirit (the Cambium) causes growth in our understanding and actions (roots and branches), this happens first by new learning growing. Then that learning grows longer, by roots getting deeper, and actions reach out further, Finally our learning grows wider and even branches out.
Tropism
Trees have 3 main tropism. A tropism simply means that the tree moves to different stimuli, like light, water, touch and gravity. Interestingly “tropos” in ancient greek means to turn, which is similar to the New Testament word, “repent”, which means specifically “turn away”. Tree leaves are phototropic by turning towards the sun, and the roots are hydrotropic by turning towards water sources, they are also thigmotropic which means they will turn when they come in contact with an object like another tree or rock. In botanical epistemology we can clearly see the parallels, of how in our actions (branches) we are to grow towards God (the Sun) and our understanding (roots) grow towards the message of God (water), and our understanding could should obstacles to our faith.
