How should you honour high achievers? (31:31)
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.
Reward excellent workers in two ways.
First pay them tangible benefits in keeping with their accomplishments. Then give them public honour and recognition.
High achievers deserve a twofold prize.
The City Gates
In the cities of the Orient the gates were the public place (or places if the city had more than one set of gates) for commerce, legal matters and the announcement of important news. That’s where people met to hear important announcements (2 Chronicles 32:6, Nehemiah 8:1) and elders transacted legal business (Deuteronomy 16:18, Joshua 20:4, Ruth 4:1-2). The current day equivalent is city/town hall, the civic centre or possibly, depending upon it’s size and structure, the airport. It’s a place where the key citizens meet.
Public Recognition
With respect to public recognition the point is this: Praise for excellent work should be given in a place of prominence. It’s not just for the market place or sports field, but wherever important news is announced and where law and order are administered. If public media such as TV or newspapers are used then proper recognition calls for a major broadcasting station and a respectable paper, not a tabloid.
Women Working in the Home
Moms who work hard at home and are dedicated to the success of their families make an extremely valuable contribution to society. Unfortunately most men have stopped praising the dedicated homemaker. I believe this lack of public praise and recognition has led to the increase in feminism and a feeling that unless women are active outside the home, their work is of little significance. But not all stay-at-home moms are also work-at-home moms. It’s the ones who diligently work to make their family members successful, those are the ones who deserve medals.
Translation: Product, Works
The Hebrew word for “product” can also be translated as “fruit, reward, price, earnings, result.” The Hebrew word for “works” can also be translated as “achievements, accomplishments workmanship.” I don’t really know why two words are used that mean essentially the same thing, but the message is clear. Whatever the successful woman has achieved, let her enjoy it. Let her possess it. It’s all about recognizing the individual for her unique accomplishments by ensuring that she is able to enjoy her achievements, and then recognizing her efforts publicly. Personal responsibility and personal reward and recognition—not pooled consequences, but individually specific should be tailor made to fit the individual. It’s private property, not a collective.
Rewards and Recognition
Rewards are primarily financial and tangible. Pay for performance includes: More money, higher pay, bonuses, profit sharing, stock options, prizes, vacations. Recognition starts with a simple “Thank you.” Additional recognition includes: Public announcements, newspaper ads, radio or TV notices, billboards, government bills/citations.
- 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.
Reward excellent workers in two ways.
First pay them tangible benefits in keeping with their accomplishments. Then give them public honour and recognition.
High achievers deserve a twofold prize.
The City Gates
In the cities of the Orient the gates were the public place (or places if the city had more than one set of gates) for commerce, legal matters and the announcement of important news. That’s where people met to hear important announcements (2 Chronicles 32:6, Nehemiah 8:1) and elders transacted legal business (Deuteronomy 16:18, Joshua 20:4, Ruth 4:1-2). The current day equivalent is city/town hall, the civic centre or possibly, depending upon it’s size and structure, the airport. It’s a place where the key citizens meet.
Public Recognition
With respect to public recognition the point is this: Praise for excellent work should be given in a place of prominence. It’s not just for the market place or sports field, but wherever important news is announced and where law and order are administered. If public media such as TV or newspapers are used then proper recognition calls for a major broadcasting station and a respectable paper, not a tabloid.
Women Working in the Home
Moms who work hard at home and are dedicated to the success of their families make an extremely valuable contribution to society. Unfortunately most men have stopped praising the dedicated homemaker. I believe this lack of public praise and recognition has led to the increase in feminism and a feeling that unless women are active outside the home, their work is of little significance. But not all stay-at-home moms are also work-at-home moms. It’s the ones who diligently work to make their family members successful, those are the ones who deserve medals.
Translation: Product, Works
The Hebrew word for “product” can also be translated as “fruit, reward, price, earnings, result.” The Hebrew word for “works” can also be translated as “achievements, accomplishments workmanship.” I don’t really know why two words are used that mean essentially the same thing, but the message is clear. Whatever the successful woman has achieved, let her enjoy it. Let her possess it. It’s all about recognizing the individual for her unique accomplishments by ensuring that she is able to enjoy her achievements, and then recognizing her efforts publicly. Personal responsibility and personal reward and recognition—not pooled consequences, but individually specific should be tailor made to fit the individual. It’s private property, not a collective.
Rewards and Recognition
Rewards are primarily financial and tangible. Pay for performance includes: More money, higher pay, bonuses, profit sharing, stock options, prizes, vacations. Recognition starts with a simple “Thank you.” Additional recognition includes: Public announcements, newspaper ads, radio or TV notices, billboards, government bills/citations.