"So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor." -1 Corinthians 3:7-8
Funny how an ordinary little thing like canning Green Beans spurs me to ponder something deeper and much more significant than the art of canning. I love that the Scriptures are filled with metaphors which compare the simplest of things to the most extraordinary of truths, drawing our attention constantly to the power of the LORD. Yes, we can plant the beans and water the beans, but without God, all of our labor would be for naught because He is the one who provides the growth. Without that growth there would still be only a seed under the soil. Amazingly, we benefit from the reward of fresh, delicious Green Beans though we can take no credit for the harvest.
It is the same way when we share the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We may plant the Gospel Seed. We may water the seed. But it is God who gives the increase and grows deep-rooted faith in the "soil" of the heart. It is good to be obedient in the sharing of the Good News, but just as with the green beans, we can take no credit for the growth in a person's life. Still, each one receives an award according to his labor. I cannot fathom, that we, undeserving servants, should receive an award more than what we have already received by the grace of God and the blood of Jesus. How grateful I am to my wonderful Savior for the ordinary and the extraordinary things in life!
Our cans were filled with Green Beans!
We filled the cans with water, leaving 1" of space at the top.
With three quarts of water in the bottom of the canner, we put on the lid and turned the heat to high. When the steam escaped steadily for ten minutes, we put our pressure regulator on top, with ten pounds of pressure for 25 minutes.
When the canner depressurized and cooled on its own, we removed the lid and took out the jars. (I just love the smell that escapes from the canner! The aroma of freshly canned Green Beans is such a summertime smell!)
Our final product!
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