It was my birthday yesterday. I go to a smallish church, and this lady named Audrey usually announces whoever has a birthday in the coming week and everybody sings. Sometimes they’ll ask the person how old they’re turning.

I knew the question was coming. So, being myself, I was debating what would be the funniest thing to say. A lot of people would say an obviously younger age, 27 har har. I was thinking maybe it would be funnier if I said an older age…like 54 seemed right.

But then I had this profound moment with God.

I’ve been thinking about humility a lot lately. I’ve been praying about it, studying it in the Bible, and reading what some other people have said about the subject.

It’s a pretty important topic. The Bible tells us to humble ourselves before the Lord, and He will raise us up (1 Peter 5:6, James 4:10). I’ve been asking God how I can teach this idea better to my apprentices. My job is to train people for a profession that requires them to be notable.

It’s impossible to be a writer without at least thousands of people knowing your name and listening to what you have to say. So what does humility mean for us?

In that moment in the presence of God, He reminded me what it was like to be a child. Do you remember when you were a kid and your age was the coolest thing about you?

“I’m Brad and I’m five and a half.”

Even down to the half year. Your name and your age were your biggest points of pride. Two things that are utterly beyond your control.

The two most important things to you, the things you wanted everyone to know, were just true statements of fact.

And maybe that’s part of the nature of true humility.

Humility is not making yourself sound better than you are. Humility also doesn’t downplay the real gifts and talents that God has given you. We call that “false humility.”

God made me, and He made me good at certain things. Humility doesn’t ask me to pretend that God did a bad job when He made me.

True humility is to operate in the truth.

Not puffing ourselves up.

Not tearing ourselves down.

Agreeing with who God is, what He did, and what He says. And submitting everything we are to Him. It’s true not because of our own esteem or the world’s esteem—it’s true because He says it’s true.

I am 42.

What a great age! I’m really glad to be 42. I’m excited to be this age.

Even though it was just going to be a joke, I don’t have to puff myself up or tear myself down. I’m thankful to be me just where God put me.

I didn’t do anything special to be 42. I guess I haven’t died for quite a while, but even that’s largely beyond my control.

Just like a little kid who doesn’t know anything, I get to step up and say “I’m Brad and I’m 42.”

I don’t know if you’ll think I’m too young or too old. But it doesn’t matter. I’m going to live in the truth.

Humility doesn’t mean I can’t be grateful or excited. I’m both! 42 is great!

And maybe this completely unchangeable fact of my age, over which I have no control, is the most interesting thing about me.

I’m also a good writer, a mediocre guitar player, and a bad athlete.

But those things are no more or less to my credit than my age.

Maybe the next time I’m invited to speak on a panel at a conference or something, and they ask me to introduce myself, I’ll stand up as tall as I can. I’ll smile big so you can see any teeth I’ve recently lost, and rather than say anything about any of the publishing stuff I’ve done I’ll just say, “My name’s Brad and I’m 42!” And I’ll do that big fake smile kids do that squeezes their eyes shut, and then I’ll sit back down.

Sure, I’ve sold some books and worked with some cool people, but that should have about as much space in my heart as my age. Those are just true things. Sometimes they’re helpful facts to share and they serve Kingdom purposes, sometimes they don’t.

And I think that’s an interesting test. Whether it’s an accomplishment or an embarrassment, does it matter more to you if people know that thing about you than if they know your age.

Are we submitted to God’s purposes with everything about us? Do we walk in the truth—good bad or indifferent?

That’s the essence of humility.

And after all of that, you know what? Audrey didn’t even ask how old I was.