Do Good Things

January 22, 2026

From Pastor Joseph Wamack

A New Jersey restaurant server picked up the breakfast check for two firefighters after they had spent all night putting out a warehouse fire, and then the firefighters stepped up to return the favor to the server in a huge way.

Server Liz Woodward was talking to the firefighters about the blaze they had spent their night putting out when she waited on their table early one Thursday morning. She told them she had seen the story about the fire on the news.

“This was their first meal in over 24 hours; the least I could do was buy it for them for all they do every day,” Woodward said. Instead of being charged for their meal, the firefighters got a note written on their bill. The handwritten note read:

“Your breakfast is on me today-Thank you for all that you do; for serving others and for running into the places everyone else runs away from,” read the note. “Thank you for being bold every day! Fueled by fire and driven by courage-what an example you are. Get some rest.”

The pair was so moved that one of the firefighters posted a picture of the note to Facebook, urging friends to eat at her diner and tip her well.

But the story doesn’t end there. The two firefighters discovered she was trying to raise money to get her quadriplegic father a wheelchair accessible van. The pair put her crowdfunding campaign on full blast, raising $70,000 to get the van.

“All I did was pay for their breakfast, and I didn't think anything would come about it except they would leave with a smile," Woodward said. “The message is to be kind to each other, to pay it forward when you can, that even the smallest gestures can change somebody's life. People all over the world have heard our story, and from it, they’re recognizing opportunities to do something little or big for someone else.”

“Do something-little or big for someone else.” I like those words. That describes what most of us do every day. Doing things for others-anything from a smile, fixing a meal, fluffing up a pillow, donating to a charity, to holding the door for someone-most of these are not life or death things, but they add spice to the day. They make the day brighter. We can affect and change someone’s day-even their life!-just by what we choose to do. Kindness pays.

And truthfully-we should “do good things” because it overflows from our hearts filled with LOVE and so we do it naturally and not from any ulterior motive. To do good-to BE good, just because it is who we are. Love comes from God. God IS LOVE. Live it!