A glove lay on the table, its yarn soft and clean. It was proud of its red hue, striped with black and white. No knots marred its design.

It was perfect.

One day, a boy slid his fingers into the little glove. What a surprise! The little glove could move and wiggle, each one of its fingers working together .

It flew high and dipped low. It could curl in on itself or stretch as wide as could be. What movement! What power!

The little glove thought to himself, “Look at me! Can everyone see? My energy and abilities are endless!”

After long moments of outdoor play, fisting snowballs and hurling them across the yard, the glove was tugged from the boy’s hand. Suddenly, he was limp. Useless. Nothing more than a wet, worn scrap of yarn.

With a start, the little glove realized it was not his power that had so shocked him. No feat of his own that amazed. His life, his strength and movement were all due to the boy’s fingers moving within him. Squeezing and stretching. Giving him purpose and destiny.

And so it is with us.

We are nothing on our own. It is only Christ in us that gives us life and breath. Movement and purpose. A destiny.

And if we suffer tears and scrapes, smudges of dirt through the passing of time, it’s only because we are being used—made for a glorious purpose and fulfilled through His plan.

“The Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.” (Romans 8:11)

“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31)