Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised. Give her the product of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates.
There are two ways to reward excellent workers or teammates.
First, reward them with tangible benefits in proportion to their accomplishments; then give them public honour and recognition.
High achievers deserve a twofold prize.
The City Gates
In the cities of the East, its gates were the public place (or places, if the city had more than one) for commerce, legal proceedings and announcing important events. There people met to hear the news (2 Chronicles 32:6, Nehemiah 8:1), and elders transacted business (Deuteronomy 16:18, Joshua 20:4, Ruth 4:1-2). The modern equivalent might be the city hall, civic centre or sometimes even the airport. It’s the place where busy citizens could expect to meet.
Public Recognition
Concerning public recognition, the point is this: praise for excellent work should be bestowed in a place of prominence, not just the local strip mall or sports field, but wherever important news is announced or public leaders gather. Proper recognition may call for a television spot or newspaper ad (not a tabloid), or perhaps a reception in a respectable local club or restaurant.
Women Working in the Home
Moms who work hard at home, dedicated to the success of their families, make an extremely valuable, irreplaceable contribution to society at large—nurturing the next generation of citizens. Unfortunately, most men have stopped praising the dedicated homemaker. I believe this lack of public praise and recognition has led to the rise of radical feminism, the assumption that only work outside the home is of any real value for a woman. Admittedly, not all stay-at-home moms are also productive-at-home moms. But the many dedicated women who work diligently to nurture and empower their family members, those deserve medals.
Translation: Product, Works
The Hebrew word for “product” can also be translated as “fruit, reward, price, earnings, or result.” The Hebrew word for “works” can also be translated as “achievements, accomplishments, or workmanship.” It’s a little unclear why two words, meaning roughly the same thing, should be used here, but it certainly adds emphasis. Whatever the successful woman has achieved, let her enjoy it. Let her possess it. It’s all about recognizing that person for her unique accomplishments, first by ensuring that she can enjoy her achievements, and then by recognizing her efforts publicly. Personal responsibility, on the one hand, and personal reward and recognition, on the other, are not “pooled,” but personal and tailored to the deserving teammate. The achievement benefited the team, so the achiever should have the recognition.
Rewards and Recognition
Rewards are primarily financial and tangible. Pay for performance includes: bonuses, higher pay, profit sharing, stock options, prizes and vacations. Recognition starts with a simple “Thank you.” Additional recognition can include public announcements, newspaper, radio or TV spots, billboards, or even government citations.
Our Maker, Saviour, and Friend
Rewarding people based upon their performance is not bribery.
Bribery is the abuse of justice, whereas rewards are an administration of justice, namely giving people what they deserve. When the Master, the Lord Jesus Christ, returns physically to Earth, He will recognize and reward everyone appropriately.
That’s His promise (Revelation 22:12). Maranatha!
- Memorize the text in your favourite translation and think about it often.
- Reward high achievers with tangible assets and with public honour.
- Try to make the reward match the achievement.
- Maximize your praise by giving it the best setting. The more public the praise, the greater the praise.
Which one of these steps, if any, does Jesus want you to take now? Ask Him.
Related Illustration