Many Organization use reward policies, practices and processes to support the delivery of its business strategy. This is evident in Kenya where the current generation is known to like free things.
Bong points
Bonga Points is a loyalty scheme for all Safaricom ( the leading communications company in Kenya ) Pre-pay and Post-pay subscribers. The program allows the registered subscribers to earn One Bonga Point for every Ksh.10 spent on voice calls, SMS or data. The more you use your Safaricom line, the more points you get and the BIGGER the rewards!.
Bonga Points can be redeemed for rewards ranging from Talk-time (Minutes), Data, SMS and MMS bundles to Air tickets and Merchandise
The Psychology of Reciprocity and Rewards
Reward are appetitive stimulus given to a human to alter behavior. Rewards typically serve as reinforces; something that, when presented after a behavior, causes the probability of that behavior’s occurrence to increase.
The Law of Reciprocity on the other hand says that when someone does something nice for you, you will have a deep-rooted psychological urge to do something nice in return.
This concept has proven to be especially powerful when applied to businesses. if a customer receives positive treatment like loyalty rewards – they will be more likely to ‘return the favor’ in the form of more purchases, or referrals.
I am not a Psychologist so I will stop it here, but the principleS of rewards are not farfetched, in fact I find them straight in the bible so I will not stop here yet.
The Bible Bonga Points
The bible promises a reward for the good deeds we do. It means that for every act of virtue we earn “Bonga Points” from God. Our walk of faith is hinged on rewards for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
The following scriptures are an example of the reward system in the word of God.
Prov 19:17 whoever is generous to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will repay him for his deed.
Mat 6:3-4 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
Luk 6:35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great.
Col 3:23-24 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.
Mat 6:6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
Redeeming Rewards and Favors
In our society if you help someone at his point of need, he will be indebted to return the favor, and if he is someone influential and powerful, majority of the people will look forward to the “return favor”. This is very common within the political arena and work environment.
Suppose it’s the president or the CEO of a big institution you helped, he offers you some cash, but as a wise person you decline the money since you helped out of the abundance of your good heart. But secretly you will wait for the best opportunity to ask in return for something of greater value than the cash. And since you never took the cash, that opportunity (and it is only one) will be reserved for you. He will be indebted until you redeem it. But even if it’s the president who owes you a favor you will be very careful how you utilize that single opportunity in order to maximize on it.
The book of Esther in the bible, a beautiful Queen Esther perilously appears before the king. She gains favor in his sight and is immediately offered anything up to a third of the kingdom. She does not redeem the favor but in her wisdom does something fascinating.
Esther prepares a banquet and invites the king. She gains more favor with the king who now raises the value of the favor up to a half of the kingdom! Still she will not cash in the favor.
Esther invites the king to a second banquet to which she requests what is of GREAT value, more than the third and the half of the kingdom: her life and that of the Jews. She saves the Jewish people from annihilation.
Redeeming Bible Rewards “Bonga points”
Like any reward program there are instructions given in the bible on how we redeem these rewards. But what is intriguing is these instructions are contrary to the popular social norms where the law of reciprocity is upheld.
Mat 6:1-4 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
Your rewards for your good deeds can only be redeemed by two options. (1) Receive the rewards here on earth from men or (ii) Receive your reward and blessings from God. And you have to make the choice of how you want your reward. Think about that before you read on.
The bible says that if you do good deeds to be seen and appreciated by men there will be no reward for you from God my friend. Show off your rightness and we give you the praise you are craving for and that’s it, the heavenly reward is gone. You have traded your reward from God with the praises of men.
Time will not allow me to talk about the “Boss pleasers” in the work places who work to prove how others are working badly. Hasn’t the bible instructed that Col 3:23-24 “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward”
That moment you receive praise from them for your good deeds, your reward is totally redeemed, no matter the expectations you will still be holding. Only the good deeds done in secret will be rewarded by God. There are people who do good deeds just for the camera. They need to feature in the hall of praise. They are like the men of Jesus’s days who “loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God” Joh 12:43
And even in heaven “ the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done( Mathew 16:27). I guess of the angles holding the reward inventory list will say “Ah this one was fully paid back on earth,” and another will wonder “How did such a man trade this wonderful reward for some praises of men? Isn’t the same men who praised him talk ill of him?”
And if the person you helped in secret offers to reward you in secret, don’t take the reward. Run my friend run. Offer instead to the Glory to God who is using you as vessels to help and meet the needs of his people.
And if you feel unappreciated. And if the hard work you do has not been fairly rewarded. Don’t go for praises from men. It is alright, greater will be your reward from God who sees even what bosses don’t see. ” For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work …Heb 6:10
Jer 31:16 Thus saith the LORD; Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears: for thy work shall be rewarded, saith the LORD;
2Ch 15:7 But you be strong and do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded
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