How to add value to others even in your darkest times

Something to Think About:Adding Value to Others, Even When You Suffer a Loss

Genesis 40:5-8 in the Amplified Bible says, “Then the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison, both dreamed a dream in the same night, each man with his [own significant] dream and each dream with its [personal] interpretation. 6 When Joseph came to them in the morning and looked at them, [he saw that] they were sad and depressed. 7 So he asked Pharaoh’s officials who were in confinement with him in his master’s house, “Why do you look so down-hearted today?” 8 And they said to him, “We have [each] dreamed [distinct] dreams, and there is no one to interpret them.” So, Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Please tell me [your dreams].”

Can I ask you a question? Yes, okay. If today was your last day on earth and tomorrow, you were gone, would there be a hole in people’s hearts because you were no longer there? This is truly something to think about, right?

We cannot control how people feel about us, yet we can live a life through Christ that adds value to others. No one on earth is immune to struggle, sadness, and periods of depression and feeling stuck. However, in those circumstances, it takes having the right heart and operating in the right spirit to look beyond our situations and see the needs of those around us.

Joseph was imprisoned and falsely accused of making inappropriate advances at his boss’s wife. As a result, he found himself in the prison of the captain of the guard to Pharoah. Though he was there, Joseph didn’t spend time feeling sorry for himself. Instead, he served with excellence, and as a result, he was put in charge of all the prisoners in the jail, including the king of Egypt’s butler and baker. These two got on the king’s bad side, and he put them in prison.

We don’t know why they were thrown in jail. Did the baker burn the biscuits? Did he add salt instead of sugar to one of his desserts? Did the butler walk in on Pharoah at the wrong time and tick him off? Did he break a bottle of the king’s favorite wine? I just threw this in for humor. The Bible doesn’t say why they were imprisoned except that they angered the king. Either way, they found themselves being fired from the most prominent positions in the land for someone in their occupations. The two men had their freedoms taken away because they made the richest, most powerful man on earth angry.

As Joseph made his rounds, he saw the two guys looking visibly upset and sought to get to the bottom of the situation. Many of us today see people we interact with daily in a state of sadness and “not being their usual selves.” Yet, we walk away as if it is not our problem. Even on social media, if someone (we call a friend) seems to be posting something negative and outside the norm, do we private message them to see if everything is okay?

The second commandment God gave, after the first, to God with everything within us, is to love our neighbors as ourselves (Mark 12:30-31). How often have we been down and felt discouraged because no one cared to check on us? How often have we felt alone in our circumstances and like no one understands or cares to understand?

Joseph could have wallowed in self-pity after being locked up on false accusations. He could have been mad at God and the world for having his freedoms taken away when he only tried to do good. Still, he added value to others and looked to uplift them when they had a hard time.

First, Joseph took the time to listen. Sometimes, people just need someone to listen to their circumstances. They don’t need reprimanding for what they did or your opinion on how to solve their problems. Those around you will never forget how you were there to give them a safe place to share what was on their hearts.

Second, Joseph gave them hope. He pointed them to God, who could give them clarity and understanding about the dreams that had them down. Like him, we could offer others hope in the Lord and remind them of His love and compassion for them in their circumstances. A powerful tool to use for this is scripture. In it, we see how Jesus shows compassion for us.

Hebrews 4:15 says, “For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize and understand our weaknesses and temptations, but One who has been tempted [knowing exactly how it feels to be human] in every respect as we are, yet without [committing any] sin.”

Then, be willing to be used by God to minister to their needs. Joseph not only encouraged these men to believe that their dream interpretations belonged to God, but he was also willing to be used by the Lord to bring the interpretation.

When you see someone going through something, are you willing to be used by the Lord to meet a need? Will you take the time to pray for them right then and there instead of promising to pray later and then forgetting? After praying, are you willing to share what the Lord speaks to you about them in prayer?

Remember, an apple tree doesn’t eat its own apple. Like an apple tree, God created us to serve a purpose outside ourselves. As believers, do you recognize the gift of God in you to serve others? Additionally, we must be sensitive to the needs of others and look to be used by the Lord to share His heart with them and serve them with the fruit of love. You may have a kind word, story of hope to share, a go-to scripture, or a word of knowledge to bring them out of a hopeless state. These are just a few of the ways we can add value to others and leave a lasting impression. This is how we help others experience God.

Something to think about.