I’m so grateful for the tools Christian Science gives us to see ourselves in a new, correct light at times when we’re facing the most discouraging and overwhelming challenges. But these tools can also help us confront and overcome the subtler deceptions about our spiritual identity as children of God.

During a routine physical exam required by my employer a few years ago, the doctor had me step on the scale. She quickly exclaimed, “You’re overweight!” and pointed to a chart on the wall that outlined how much someone of my height and body type should weigh.

On my drive home after the appointment, I recalled some of my friends and colleagues, and realized I didn’t think of them in terms of their height or weight but in terms of the spiritual qualities they express—joy, compassion, humor, punctuality, creativity, orderliness, and so on.