This is because we don't see things as they are, but as we are, so to get the most authentic view of what's going on calls us to bring the truest lens we can to the party.

And we know who we are:​ We are God's beloved, infused with the ​divine spark of love, created to be loved, and to radiate that love out into the world.

But we get confused and think that we can't possibly be loved unless we ​earn love.

We confuse being with doing...

Which causes problems when we do bad things, ​because then we think we're bad people,

This will be on display on Sunday, when we get that well-known parable about two men, a religious person and a tax collector, ​who go to a temple and pray.​ This story is all about ​self-​knowledge​: ​are you defined by what you do, or who you are?

And the good news is that you are golden! You don't have to do anything to be loved by God, you don't have to achieve, obtain, fulfill, or complete to be adored and accepted.

We don't do good things to be loved, we do good things because we are loved!

Maybe that's worth a deep breath, a smile, and a spring in your step, and may that adoration find joyful expression in the day ahead.