The Benefits of Asking "Why are you so sad?"

"Why are you so sad today?" sounds like a very simple question, however, it shows care and concern to the person being asked and it can reap numerous benefits for the person who asks it from a genuine heart.

We can see a good example from Joseph when he was incharge of the other prisoners because one day he found Pharaoh's baker and butler were sorrowful and he asked them, "Why do you look so sad today?" (Genesis 40:7)

The two men told him they had dreamt dreams but they did not have an interpreter. Joseph praised God because of His ability to provide dream interpretations and then proceeded to interpret both their dreams correctly. 

Revealing his gift of interpretation to Pharaoh's butler turned out to be one fo the key moments in Joseph's  life because this man later recommended him to Pharaoh when he dreamt a dream that his own wise men could not decipher. 

As a result of interpreting Pharaoh's dream, Joseph was promoted from a prisoner to be the Prime Minister of Egypt.

This remarkable turn in his life can thus be traced to simply taking  the time to ask his fellow prisoners, "Why do you look so sad today?" (Genesis 40:7)

Therefore do not ignore the opportunity you have to inquire about someone's well being because by solving the problem that is making them sad,  you may also inadvertently be solving your own problems.    

We can see another good example of helping yourself by trying to help other people from Queen Esther when her maids told her that her uncle Mordecai had torn his clothes, put on sackcloth with ashes and he was crying loudly and bitterly. (Esther 4:4) 

She became deeply distressed and sent him clothes but he refused to accept them. Queen Esther then sent one of the king's  eunuchs know as Hathach, to find out why Mordechai was behaving like this. (Esther 4:5) By sending him, she was, in essence, asking Mordechai, "Why are you so sad today?"

Mordecai told Hathach how Haman had promised to pay the King money if all the Jews were destroyed and he even gave him a copy of the decree. (Esther 4:7-8)

Consequently, by trying to find out the problem that was distressing Mordechai, Esther came to learn of a problem that was affecting her.  If she had not inquired about Mordechai,  chances are she would have known about this turn of events when it was too late to save the situation.

Therefore, take the time to genuinely ask the people around you, "Why are you so sad today?" if you find them looking depressed because by trying to help them, you may also be helping yourself.