An admirable trait and a sign of maturity is the ability to admit mistakes, learn from them, take responsibility, and make things right, rather than denying fault and seeking to blame others to evade responsibility. 
        This holds true even more so for a Christian, for Christians do not live for themselves alone, but for Christ and for others. It is a mark of spiritual maturity in a Christian to hold oneself accountable for wrongdoing and to seek forgiveness from those wronged. As the Bible says in Proverbs 28:13, "He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy."
         Dr. Johnny Hunt exemplifies Christ-like character for others to follow in humility and integrity and wearing well the name of Christ.
        In a sermon at First Baptist Church Woodstock, Dr. Hunt said, "There (were) times that I have acted in such a way or made a decision that I regretted later. But I pray that God will help me and clothe me in humility so that, when I do make that mistake, and especially when others observe, that I would be Christian enough and full of Jesus enough that I would admit that I am wrong and make it right. The Bible says, in Philippians 1:27, let your conduct be worthy of the Gospel of Christ. I want to respond in such a way that would not give the Gospel a bad name."
        During his President's address at the 2009 meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention, Dr. Hunt said, "When we seek to be the witness God would have us to be, you just remember -- We wear His name. We represent His character. He's placed His integrity upon His people. He's considered us the most treasured possession. God is staking the integrity and character of His name on the people He has chosen."
        During his sermon a day earlier, he said, "There is a dire need -- a dire need -- for overwhelming repentance. I've never seen so many hard things said from one person to the next without any sense of grief.
        "I was in the lobby the other day," he recalled, "and I had prayed -- you pray yourself full and you come here and you pray, 'God, help me to respond, put a watch about my mouth, help me to say nothing that wouldn't just encourage and build up.' 
        "I bet I was not an hour into my journey, and somebody kind of got me fired up, and I said some things I wish I hadn't have said. 
        "I went to my room, and I want to tell you, in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, I was miserable. I told my wife -- I said, 'I responded in a wrong way to one of the sweetest young men in this Convention.' And my heart was so troubled. 
        "I went back downstairs to see if I could find him, and I couldn't. 
        "I knew his name, so I called his room. He wasn't there. 
        "And I was thinking, 'Lord Jesus, God, help me to find him...
        "I repented before God - but I believe that, when you offend somebody and say something about somebody, I believe you need to get right with them, too. 
        "It was music to my ear when I called and his dear wife answered. And I identified who I was. 
        "And it would have been real easy to say, 'I can't do this. I'm trying to lead the Southern Baptist Convention.' But I want to be honest with you, if I want to be what God wants me to be, if I want to be confident that I can experience the hand of God, if I know deep in the recesses of my heart that it's a short list, and sins are confessed up. 
        "And when that dear brother got on the phone, I said, 'I was rude to you. You didn't deserve it. You're one of the sweetest men here. I beg you to forgive me, and I want you to know I've already asked God to forgive me.'  
        "And I want you to know it was music to my ears when he said, 'Pastor Johnny, you are totally forgiven. Don't you give it a second thought.' 
        "You may say, 'That's not a big deal.'  
        "Yes, it is a big deal! 
        "It is a big deal -- when God speaks like that -- that we've got to get it right!
        "May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart -- not only what I say, but, God, even what I've been thinking -- may it be acceptable in your sight, my strength and my redeemer." 
        What an example for all to live by -- whether a transgression be slight or far worse -- to be repentant and to have humility to ask for forgiveness to make things right with God and to make things right with others, to not let pride be a deterrent to fellowship and unity, to not allow pride to create strife and tension, to take responsibility for one's words and actions, and to seek forgiveness and restoration.
        It all begins with confession.
        Unconfessed sin against another person will block your fellowship with that person and will hinder your relationship with God. "If I'm not willing to admit my sin and remove it, I'm not a candidate to hear from God," said Dr. Hunt. "Unconfessed sin in our life is like having earwax in our ears. It prevents the Word of Truth from reaching our hearts."
        Your unconfessed sin against another person may even hinder that person's walk with God.
        It certainly hinders that person's view of and belief and trust in you.
        Confession and true repentance are necessary for reconciliation. 
        A genuine apology may go a long way toward restoring a broken relationship and a broken trust.
        It is vital that Christians not allow sin to cause division and not allow pride to prolong division, but through humility show the love and compassion of Christ. As Dr. Hunt has stated, "Pride produces strife, but humility produces unity."
        When we say that we are Christians, in essence, we are saying that we represent the character of Christ.
        We must remember that God's name is more important than our name. 
        If we wear the name of Christ, it is imperative that we wear that name well -- that our speech and our conduct would be worthy of His name and that we would not give a bad name to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
        Oh, that all who wear the name of Christ would love Jesus enough and would love others enough, to be troubled and broken by sin and to be so grieved that they could not rest until making things right with one another.