1 Corinthians 3:9

For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building (KJV)

Then: Thinking of yourself as a field of dirt where others walk or a building where others occupy the rooms could be degrading, but Paul doesn't give the Corinthians any time to think. He's finished the cultural metaphor and adding one from industry. Instead, the point is working with others for God and, concurrently, being his handiwork. Morris (p. 64) notes that a translation of being "partners" with God doesn't really fit Paul's teaching. Corinthians could also see that the sentence was a brief segue into the next metaphor.

Now: We see Paul talking about himself and Apollos, and we include ourselves in that group of laborers for Christ. Christian maturity always puts us in two places at the same time - God's work and God's worker. We learn; we serve God; we learn more; we try to be better servants; and yet, in both phases it's not us, but God's work within us. Confusing? Yes, but perfectly sensible to those who depend upon the Spirit abiding within them.

Extra Source: The First epistle of Paul to the Corinthians: an introduction and commentary by Leon Morris (Grand Rapids MI: Wm B. Eerdmans, c1985, 2002) online at http://books.google.com/books?id=lNc0AYIqQvAC&dq=Corinthians+Morris&printsec=frontcover&source=bl&ots=NwNTeWfd4I&sig=XgqcdeZIJ7jIfOrxTT7PUqQqo_4&hl=en&ei=F-MkS82TPIvWlAfW55D-CQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CAwQ6AEwATgK#v=onepage&q=&f=false