On Beresheit/Genesis 6:8, the Me'am Lo'ez notes an interesting opinion about Noach.
This opinion (Zera Berakh) states that, initially, Hashem included Noach in the decree to destroy humanity.
But Noach did teshuvah. He changed his ways.
And so Hashem annulled the decree over Noach individually and even catapulted Noach into the role of savior of humanity (and savior of the animals & birds).
This is hinted to in the word "found"—as in "Noach found favor in the Eyes of Hashem." It implies that the Divine favor wasn't always there, but was a more recent acquisition.
This, explains the Me'am Lo'ez, shows us the true power of teshuvah.
A person can be despised & far from Hashem.
But as soon as he truly repents, he "finds favor in Hashem's Eyes."
And with that new-found favor, he can merit not only a revolutionary change in his own destiny, but in the destiny of the entire world.