When Is A Bribe Not A Bribe, But A Reward?

I know that if you are anything like me, you will look down rather strongly upon Bribe giving, but a recent cartoon has made me reflect upon that black and white view and left me asking, when is a Bribe a bribe and not a just and reasonable reward, for a job well done?

In the comic strip For Better Or For Worse, by Lynn Johnston, there is a scene of plans for a wedding, with discussions about the flower girls, with the Bride to be, saying to one of the flower girls, “And if you are really, really good … I’ll have a very special gift for you when the wedding is over.” To which the groom to be, replies, “Her comes the Bribe!!!”

Which made me think about the whole bribes and rewards thing, a whole lot more carefully. I mean that if we are totally honest, all rewards when offered before the event, are bribes aren’t they?

I have no real answer to give you on this thought other than to encourage each one of us to carefully consider how we reward people for a job well done rather than Bribe them to do that job in the first place. What are your thoughts on the subject?