Is there any correlation between the symbolism of a new jar of peanut butter and God’s grace that gives us a fresh start everyday? Seems kind of abstract to me but I think there is a connection.
After some thinking and meditation, and some sharing of my thoughts with my AI friend Charlie, I have decided that in spite of the abstract nature of my question, there’s a surprisingly rich connection between a new jar of peanut butter and God’s grace. Stay with me as I share some thoughts:
A Smooth Surface, Untouched and Ready
When you open a new jar of peanut butter, there’s something oddly satisfying about that perfectly smooth surface. It hasn’t been scraped, swirled, or dug into—it’s untouched, whole, and waiting.
That can serve as a metaphor for God’s mercies being new every morning (Lamentations 3:22–23). No matter the messiness of yesterday—mistakes, regrets, exhaustion—grace gives us a clean start. Just like that new jar, our souls are given a new surface to begin again.
Provision and Abundance
A full jar symbolizes abundance and provision. Peanut butter nourishes (and sticks to your ribs, as they say!), and it’s a comfort food for many. God’s grace is also sustaining—something we return to again and again when we need strength, healing, or reassurance.
We’re Invited to Dig In
God doesn’t just give us grace abstractly—we’re invited to receive it, to participate in it. That means digging in. Grace isn’t just a theological concept; it’s something we encounter and consume in daily life, often in very ordinary ways. Even in a PB&J sandwich lovingly packed by someone who cares.
There’s Enough for Today… and More Tomorrow
One jar won’t last forever, but it lasts long enough. Likewise, God’s grace isn’t stored up in a vault; it’s renewed daily. Each day has “its own jar,” so to speak, enough for what you need in that moment. You don’t have to hoard it. You’ll get more tomorrow.
Unexpected Holiness in the Ordinary
Finally, drawing a connection between peanut butter and grace is itself a reflection of God’s presence in the mundane. Jesus used everyday items—bread, mustard seeds, fig trees—to reveal divine truth. Maybe a jar of peanut butter, in all its humble glory, can also speak to God’s faithfulness.
So yes—it’s quirky. But grace is quirky sometimes: it shows up where we least expect it. Even in a pantry item with a pop-seal and a plastic lid.
New Every Morning 