Perspective: Wk3 - WED

Wednesday: Empathy
Genesis 40:4-7
After they had been in custody for some time, each of the two men—the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were being held in prison—had a dream the same night, and each dream had a meaning of its own.

When Joseph came to them the next morning, he saw that they were dejected. So he asked Pharaoh’s officials who were in custody with him in his master’s house, “Why are your faces so sad today?”

We are left to imagine how much time has passed between each event so far in Joseph’s life: from freedom to slavery, from success in Potiphar’s house to accusation and imprisonment, from the general prison population to manager, and even the introduction of these two royal courtiers in Genesis 40 verse seven, “After they had been in custody for some time.” However, we do know that this whole span of time was approximately eleven years.

Has Joseph known the cupbearer and the baker for a few days, months, or years? We don’t know. But at this point in the story, it is worth pausing to notice an interesting detail that may shed light on how God was able to use Joseph so successfully.

The fact that each man had separately been shown a meaningful dream the same night is notable. Joseph’s willingness to interpret them and the way he delivered the news will be important. But we will look at that tomorrow. For now, notice the conclusion of verse six, “… he saw that they were dejected.”

Over time, Joseph’s heart has softened from the teenage brashness that allowed the pain and distance he had caused in his own family to go unnoticed. He has developed a deep empathy for those around him, so he immediately sees the stress and discomfort on the faces of the two he has been tasked to serve. Rather than dismiss it as none of his business, he seeks to serve more deeply than simply bringing food or washing prison clothes. Joseph reaches out to ease the emotional hardship in their lives. “Why are your faces so sad today?” Joseph asks.

There is incredible power in entering into the pain and frustration of others. Joseph’s influence over these two men shifts as he asks the question and begins to feel what they feel. Though it won’t be obvious for another couple of years, God’s rescue of Joseph from prison hinges on his willingness to draw close, ask vulnerable questions, and practice the kind of empathy required of friendship rather than servitude.

Joseph could have excused himself from helping, considering the men above him by the privileges of the court, or beneath him in ethnicity. He could have decided they were too different from one another to help. But by leaning into the empathy God has grown in his heart, he unlocks the future God has intended for him. Amazing the impact of one little question born of empathy.

1. Think of two or three of your closest friends. In what ways are you most different from one another? Why do you think you are friends despite these differences?
2. When you notice an emotional change in a friend, how easy is it for you to bring it up in conversation? Why do you think that is?
3. On a scale of 1 to 10, how naturally empathetic are you? Would you like to become more empathetic? What would you like to say to Jesus about that?