The Power of a Small but Unforgettable Act of Grace

Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith. Galatians 6:10

Sometimes, little things happen in life that stay with you forever.

We’ll never know if the man dining in the restaurant Teresa worked at knew this Bible verse, but he demonstrated it: “… whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone” (Galatians 6:10a).

Teresa poured her heart into her waitressing job. She needed it, and she was grateful to have it. One evening, a large party arrived for dinner, and the host ordered a very expensive bottle of wine. Teresa carefully presented it, but as she worked the corkscrew, disaster struck—the cork snapped in half, leaving a jagged piece lodged inside the bottle.

Teresa’s stomach dropped. This was it. She pictured the customer’s face twisting in anger, imagined him refusing the bottle outright. Worse, she dreaded the manager docking her paycheck to cover the cost of the ruined wine.

But instead of frustration, the man simply smiled. Taking the bottle from her hands he just said, “It happens. I’ve got you.” He turned away from the table and worked the cork fragment all the way into the bottle. Then, as if nothing had gone wrong, he poured glasses for his guests—bits of cork and all—and sipped his wine contentedly. Teresa exhaled, relief washing over her. Grace had just been served with the wine.

Every day, we all have opportunities to do good, to give grace, or favor that isn’t earned. We have the chance to speak to others with what the Bible calls, “the soothing tongue [that] is a tree of life” (Proverbs 15:4a NIV).

That incident in the restaurant happened to Teresa over 20 years ago. But she’s never forgotten the kindness of a stranger who took the opportunity to do good, to simply say, “It happens. I’ve got you.”