I once heard Eckhart Tolle say that one of the very first things we teach a child is their name.
“Your name is _______. What’s your name?”
Over and over, we reinforce this identity—the label they will carry through the world.
And when others meet them, the first question is the same:
“What’s your name?”
It seems harmless. Necessary, even. The world needs a way to call on you—“Hey you” won’t suffice. Names matter. They help us function, connect, and be known.
But somewhere along the way, we stop asking a deeper question:
Who are you… beyond your name?
If I could do it over again with my kids, I’d still teach them their name—but I’d go further. I’d tell them:
“Your name is what the world calls you.
But who you are—and whose you are—that’s something far greater.”
Because you are more than your name.
More than the school you attend, the grade you’re in, the job you hold, or the success you chase. Those things can quietly become a false identity—a surface-level version of who you think you are.
But underneath it all, you are something eternal.
A soul. A creation of God.
A being that transcends time and space, only housed in this body for a brief moment.
The identity we present to the world is like a calling card.
But your soul—that’s your calling card to eternity.
It’s taken me over 50 years to begin to understand this:
I am not who I think I am.
And I am certainly not my thoughts.
And when I live from that place, something shifts. The need to impress fades. The urge to tell people where I work, how much I make, or where I live starts to feel empty—almost unnecessary.
What matters is simpler.
I just want to be a servant of God.
To live in a way that reflects Him.
To let my life be the message, not my words.
But even that can become a trap if I’m not careful—trying to present humility instead of actually living it.
In AA, we say, “Be a bozo on the bus.”
In other words—just be what God intended you to be. Nothing more, nothing less.
Be humble.
Be real.
Be willing to be seen in your imperfections.
Let people see that life is hard—and that we need God to walk through it.
Be meek—not weak.
Because as scripture reminds us:
“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” (Matthew 5:5)
Today, I ask for forgiveness for the times I’ve tried to promote myself—
for the moments I’ve spoken to be seen rather than to serve.
And I try to pause and ask a simple question before I speak:
“Is this for me… or is this for God?”
Because in the end, it’s not about who I am.
It’s about whose I am.
Praise God, let me wake everyday knowing my truth, not just my name.
Prayer:
Lord, help me let go of the need to define myself by the world.
Remind me daily that my identity is found in You.
Teach me to walk humbly, speak with purpose, and live in a way that reflects Your love.
Strip away the false layers, and bring me back to the truth of who I am in You.
Amen.
