Everyone makes mistakes. If you’re doing anything worthwhile, you will make plenty of mistakes, both in front and behind the scenes. Own up to them.
If you wrong someone, handle it immediately. Don’t do the “I’m sorry you were offended” bullshit apology. Actually apologize for what you did, make amends, and resolve to do better. And take a critical look at what led you to act/react the way that you did. Words can be beautiful (or ugly), but they don’t mean nearly as much as the intent and the action behind them. If your apology is just going to be words with no commitment behind them, then save your breath. The least you can do if you have no intention of apologizing – likely because of some unaddressed entitlement, greed, or contempt on your part – is to not add to the harm you have already done.
One more thing about correcting yourself… That also means preemptively. Check your motives before you act. If it is truly about honoring God or what is best for everyone, then awesome. If it is about raising your own agenda at the expense or exploitation of someone else, then kill it dead. Even if the other party never knows how you abuse their relationship/trust, the fact is that you know. Cross that line once and you will likely keep right on going past it until you get called out or it blows up in your face. And you will have already established that you are not a person to be trusted.
Do the right thing for the right reason. Be who God called you to be and not just in front an audience.
