Father to a little girl here. If this were me, this action would be burned into my memory. I’d think about it far too often and I would pray constantly in the years to come for the memory to escape me, but it would stay in my mind as a reminder of what could be in me: that is the potential for great evil at the drop of a hat.
While that might sound awful, I assure you carrying this moment of remembrance will make you more humble. It will remind you of that moment of injustice where you were the poor judge, and also all the moments where you stood innocent in front of the poor judge.
All you can do now is recognize you’re mistake, humble yourself, and turn your character back to goodness and righteousness.
Apologize to everyone, in public, fully exposing the fact that you were wrong and feel terrible. Do it over a meal when people are gathered. Stop conversation, stand up, admit your mistake, ask everyone for to forgive you, then walk directly to that boy and look him in the eyes (again in front of everyone) and ask him again for his forgiveness, then after the boy responds take a moment and encourage the boy with all the great things you see in his life. Then invite others to encourage him after you’ve encouraged him.
Then either hug the boy and say something soft like “sorry buddy” and hug if that’s appropriate and okay with the parents. You got this💜🫂🫡
