As in the physical so in the spiritual

'And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: and he opened his mouth, and taught them, ' Matthew 5:1-2

Jesus’ method of teaching about spirituality centered around His own creation. Nothing could more accurately explain the spiritual life and is common enough to be understood by people from all walks of life. The well-known parable of the sower (Mark 4:1-20) highlights the universality of the seed, but the markedly different outcomes depending on the quality of the soil, and sufficient watering, which is a symbol of the Holy Spirit (John 7:38-39). The desired outcome is a grown tree with deep roots of love (Ephesians 3:17), producing the precious fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). The image also exemplifies the principle that even with man's best efforts, growth is only given by the power of God. (1 Corinthians 3:6-7, Mark 4:26-29)

Another parallel is that of the growth of a human. Christians are born again in the spirit (John 3:5) and mature into spiritual adults, growing in knowledge of Christ, which is love (2 Peter 1:5-8). This requires continual feeding on Christ and the Word (Matthew 4:4, John 6:35), resisting temptation (James 1:12), and enduring correction - which is also considered pruning (Hebrews 12: 7, 11).

Both images show the similarities between the spiritual and physical, highlighting the importance of respecting physical health, and will be best understood by those who acquaint themselves with nature and physical health.