--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A tree gives glory to God by being a…" description: "\"A tree gives glory to God by being a tree. For in being what God means it to be it is obeying Him… The more a tree is like itself, the more it is like ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f64/thomas-merton-231_giving_a-tree-gives-glory-to-god-by-being-a-tre_1561931.jpg" --- # A tree gives glory to God by being a tree. For in being… ![“A tree gives glory to God by being a tree. For in being what God means it to be it is obeying Him… The more a tree is like itself, the more it is like Him…” quote by Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f64/thomas-merton-231_giving_a-tree-gives-glory-to-god-by-being-a-tre_1561931.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f64/thomas-merton-231_giving_a-tree-gives-glory-to-god-by-being-a-tre_1561931.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f64/thomas-merton-231_giving_a-tree-gives-glory-to-god-by-being-a-tre_1561931.jpg) > “A tree gives glory to God by being a tree. For in being what God means it to be it is obeying Him… The more a tree is like itself, the more it is like Him…” [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Being true to one's nature reflects divine creation; the more one aligns with self, the more one mirrors God. **In simple terms:** Authenticity reflects the divine. Key Takeaway Live authentically to honor creation. Themes spirituality identity divinity Mood contemplative reverent Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal growth - spiritual practice - environmental stewardship Key Concepts self‑realization faith nature Questions to Reflect On - What aspects of yourself feel most authentic? - How does nature inspire your spiritual path? A Different Perspective Self‑knowledge can be unsettling. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Glory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/glory/) [Glory of god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/glory-of-god/) [God Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-means/) [God Tree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-tree-904749/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Obeying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obeying/) [Obeying Tree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obeying-tree-5860655/) [Tree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tree/) [Tree God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tree-god-2026898/) [Trees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trees/) ## Related quotes > [ A tree gives glory to God by being a tree. For in being what God means it to be it is obeying \[God\]. It… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/a-tree-gives-glory-to-god-by-being-a-tree-for-in-being-what-god-means-2/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [“A TREE gives glory to God by being a tree. For in being what God means it to be it is obeying Him. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/a-tree-gives-glory-to-god-by-being-a-tree-for-in-being-what-god-means-3/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [“God’s glory is the proclamation of his name, the shining forth of his ways. Therefore, for us to say that we are about the glory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mathis/god-s-glory-is-the-proclamation-of-his-name-the-shining-forth-of-his/) [David Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mathis/) > [Do you purchase the first tree you see? Of course not. You search for the right one. You walk the rows. You lift several…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/do-you-purchase-the-first-tree-you-see-of-course-not-you-search-for/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [The tree that God plants, no winde hurts it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/the-tree-that-god-plants-no-winde-hurts-it/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [What you do for a tree, God does for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/what-you-do-for-a-tree-god-does-for-you/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [“The human race is one great tree of God, spreading and growing over the whole earth, and covering the whole earth with its branches.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-john-of-kronstadt/the-human-race-is-one-great-tree-of-god-spreading-and-growing-over/) [St. John of Kronstadt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-john-of-kronstadt/) > [“ Tree I dreamt you invisible majesty hovering above the face of all things. 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God showed us how to heal instead of kill, how to mend instead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-held-evans/we-could-not-become-like-god-so-god-became-like-us-god-showed-us-how/) [Rachel Held Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-held-evans/) > [Through a tree we were made debtors to God; so through a tree we have our debt canceled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irenaeus-of-lyons/through-a-tree-we-were-made-debtors-to-god-so-through-a-tree-we-have/) [Irenaeus of Lyons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irenaeus-of-lyons/) > [This sounds cheesy but when I would get in discussions with people about religion or spirituality, a lot of people would say, "I believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-maines/this-sounds-cheesy-but-when-i-would-get-in-discussions-with-people/) [Natalie Maines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-maines/) > [We come from God. As the tree from the root and the stream from the spring; that's why we should always be in contact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pythagoras/we-come-from-god-as-the-tree-from-the-root-and-the-stream-from-the/) [Pythagoras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pythagoras/) > [All about us, in earth and air, wherever the eye or ear can reach, there is a power ever breathing itself forth in signs,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/all-about-us-in-earth-and-air-wherever-the-eye-or-ear-can-reach-there/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [“Drool has sprouted an erection. Let’s ask him what he’s thinking about. Had his way with a knotted oak on the way here. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/drool-has-sprouted-an-erection-let-s-ask-him-what-he-s-thinking-about/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [“It is not always more work that we want so much as a better motive. Many of us do a good deal of work,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-l-moody/it-is-not-always-more-work-that-we-want-so-much-as-a-better-motive/) [Dwight L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-l-moody/) ## More by Thomas Merton > [“Let no one hope to find in contemplation an escape from conflict, from anguish or from doubt. On the contrary, the deep, inexpressible certitude…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/let-no-one-hope-to-find-in-contemplation-an-escape-from-conflict-from/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [If nothing that can be seen can either be God or represent Him to us as He is, then to find God we must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/if-nothing-that-can-be-seen-can-either-be-god-or-represent-him-to-us/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [It is almost impossible to overestimate the value of true humility and its power in the spiritual life. 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