Weekly Photo Challenge: Growth

Project 365 [Day 253] God Gave the Growth — 1 Corinthians 3:6-7 :: God Gave the Growth

This is part of the WordPress weekly photo challenge, on growth, and as with each week, I try to figure out what 95% of everyone else will be photographing, and I eliminate those as possibilities. This time it took me almost a week to find some unique way to photograph “growth” in a way that wasn’t a plant growing or a flower blooming. It’s like trying to photograph a concept, and was actually much more difficult than I anticipated. The word growth has some type of organic regenerative something, like the process of photosynthesis or a child growing into a teenager and the like. So, instead of an example of growth as seen in the form of life, I give you the concept of growth, as explained by Paul’s letter via 1 Corinthians 3:6-7. One of my favorite pieces of wisdom from Paul, and one that really shows a unique perspective true growth.

I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.

The word growth in this context is a Greek word used here by Paul, αὐξάνω, which is a phrase that roughly translates “to make” or “to cause growth.” It can be used as a noun or verb meaning multiplication or growth, primarily the term involved the natural reproduction, but always under God’s direction and control (Lv. 26:4; Dt. 7:13; Ps. 67:6).¹That’s sort of a long explanation for a photo, but so be it, what’s a good blog post without a little bit of etymology.

Below are some other examples of this week’s photo challenge of growth. There are some great examples there as well, if you did the weekly post, leave a comment, I would love to check out your post as well.

¹P. A. Blair, “Increase” In , in New Bible Dictionary, ed. D. R. W. Wood, I. H. Marshall, A. R. Millard et al., 3rd ed. (Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1996), 505.

8 thoughts on “Weekly Photo Challenge: Growth”

I learned this verse when we all still used the King James version. The lesson was still clear that we are to play our parts, but that “God gives the increase.” Lovely.

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What a unique take on this week’s challenge. Very inspirational. Thanks for the pingbak 🙂

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Your Corinthians photo and explanation are great for this week’s challenge. Thought-provoking…

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A formidable approach to the challenge on “Growth”. I found your thinking
outside of the box very inspiring. Looking at universally powerful words and
creating a thought provoking photo is genious. Well done …!!!!
Thanks for the pingback. It is greatly appreciated.
Isadora

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I learned this verse when we all still used the King James version. The lesson was still clear that we are to play our parts, but that “God gives the increase.” Lovely.

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