Neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. …Paul is telling folks at the Corinthian church not to place too much faith in their own abilities or too little in God’s. Some were praising Paul’s seed planting ministry, and others favored the seed-watering ministry of Apollo’s. Here Paul is reminding them that it’s God who brings the seeds to fruition.  … Paul is not saying the efforts to plant and water were wasted. They’re part of God’s plan, too.  … You can have faith and you can pray … but God won’t do your work for you. You’ve got to plant and water and weed and mind the insects. Then trust Our Heavenly Father for the crop. Pp. 183-184, Julie Cannon, Those Pearly Gates.