Lord, remuneration and rewards can be really hard.  We practice recognition but often associates are interested in their merit increase only.   We have tried to make people masters of their own fate by giving them goals with attached rewards.   We try to make these transparent and in the best interest of our colleagues and shareholders.   We want the system to be fair and predictable.    In many minds, a bonus is not a bonus but part of the expectation of their base pay.

I know that people game this system.  They pursue win/lose behavior with their colleagues to get maximum personal benefit.   This is not why we put this system into place.    Sensitize me to those who would harm their colleagues, who would omit doing what they know needs to be done for the common good because it does not bring immediate reward.   I wish to challenge people who act this way and over time, improve the measures with which we reward.  Bonuses are supposed to align the benefit of the employee with the performance of the business.

I would like to give people a sense of appreciation by giving them helpful feedback, frequently, so that they can be more successful and so that their productivity earns the reward they seek.

Help me to make it fair.   Save me from hearsay when evaluating people.  May I insist that managers reporting on others refer to genuine evidence.

Section 2, Scripture: Jeremiah 22:13-17; Luke 12:42-48

Hebrew Scripture

New Testament

When you make a loan of any kind to your neighbor, you shall not enter the neighbor’s house to receive the pledge,11 but shall wait outside until the person to whom you are making the loan brings the pledge outside to you.12 If the person is poor, you shall not sleep in the pledged garment,13 but shall definitely return it at sunset, so that your neighbor may sleep in the garment and bless you. That will be your justice before the LORD, your God. 14 You shall not exploit a poor and needy hired servant, whether one of your own kindred or one of the resident aliens who live in your land, within your gates. 15 On each day you shall pay the servant’s wages before the sun goes down, since the servant is poor and is counting on them. Otherwise the servant will cry to the LORD against you, and you will be held guilty. DT 24:10-15   Woe to him who builds his house on wrongdoing, his roof-chambers on injustice; Who works his neighbors without pay, and gives them no wages. 14 Who says, “I will build myself a spacious house, with airy rooms,” Who cuts out windows for it, panels it with cedar, and paints it with vermilion. 15 Must you prove your rank among kings by competing with them in cedar? Did not your father eat and drink, And act justly and righteously? Then he prospered. 16 Because he dispensed justice to the weak and the poor, he prospered. Is this not to know me?— oracle of the LORD. 17 But your eyes and heart are set on nothing except your own gain, On shedding innocent blood and practicing oppression and extortion. Jeremiah 22:13-17

And the Lord replied, “Who, then, is the faithful and prudent steward whom the master will put in charge of his servants to distribute [the] food allowance at the proper time?43 Blessed is that servant whom his master on arrival finds doing so.44 Truly, I say to you, he will put him in charge of all his property.45 But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants, to eat and drink and get drunk,46 then that servant’s master will come on an unexpected day and at an unknown hour and will punish him severely and assign him a place with the unfaithful. 47 That servant who knew his master’s will but did not make preparations nor act in accord with his will shall be beaten severely; 48 and the servant who was ignorant of his master’s will but acted in a way deserving of a severe beating shall be beaten only lightly. Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more. LUKE 12:42-48

Section 3:
You may wish to be silent for a few minutes.

Section 4:
Offer prayer in your own words speaking to God who is for us, with us and in us.