“I have something I want to ask you,” my friend said. “How is your relationship with Paul?”

I felt uncomfortable. I’d recently lost my cool with Paul. I was wrong, and everyone knew it. I’d taken some superficial steps to put things right, but I still hadn’t owned my mistake — actually, my sin.

“I think we’re okay,” I mumbled, but I knew that my friend was right to ask the question. I needed a prompt to put things right.

When someone corrects me, I automatically feel a little defensive. I think of ...