But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.
1 Thessalonians 2:7-8
After saying what they were not motivated by (greed and fame), Paul shares their heart for the people.* Unlike the philosophers of the time, and unlike many of the message-givers of our day, Paul, Silas, and Timothy do not offer a simple message for personal gain, but they offer the entirety of who they are.*
As mentioned in 1 Thessalonians 2.1, Paul and Silas had endured great hardship in Philippi because of the Gospel, and it almost cost them their lives. Now, they entered into a similarly-hostile environment to share this same Gospel of God. They brought their message with a willingness to die to share it. Why?
Paul juxtaposes the selfish motivators of fame and greed to the care and love of a nursing mother. Their motivation for sharing the Gospel was deep, caring love.*
Sharing the Gospel may feel like a duty at times, and certainly we know that some may share the Gospel out of wrong motivations (Philippians 1:15-18). The Gospel will only be preached in difficult places, however, if motivated by caring love.
There are places in your life that are difficult. There is tension at work, strife at home, fear at school, etc. These places and environments do not necessarily make us feel safe enough to share the Gospel, yet they are in need of it most. God’s love for His people (which includes us) must shine in and through us to a needy world.
The Gospel we share is life. The Gospel we share is power. The Gospel we share is that Jesus Christ came to earth to reestablish His Kingdom rule by living perfectly and sinlessly, paying our death-debt, rising again to life three days later, and living forever in victory. The Good News is that the Kingdom of God is at hand! This kind of Gospel must be shared, and God’s love will help us give our whole selves to share it.
Today, take a step.
Maybe today the one step God wants you to take is to share His Gospel out of love today. Perhaps today God would have you examine your heart with Him to answer the question: why do I do what I do? Maybe today God would have you pour out your life for His purposes.
Whatever the step, ask God to direct it. Take a moment to take that step. Invite Him to speak. He will.
Life is a long road. Walk it with Jesus.
Feel free to comment at the bottom of this page! We would love to hear from you!
*Holmes, M. (1998). 1 and 2 Thessalonians (pp. 63–65). Zondervan Publishing House.
Shogren, G. S. (2012). 1 & 2 Thessalonians (pp. 98–105). Zondervan.
Green, G. L. (2002). The letters to the Thessalonians (pp. 125–129). W.B. Eerdmans Pub.; Apollos.
Kim, S., & Bruce, F. F. (2023). 1 & 2 Thessalonians (D. B. Capes, Ed.; Second Edition, Vol. 45, pp. 209–217). Zondervan Academic.
Morris, L. (1984). 1 and 2 Thessalonians: An introduction and commentary (Vol. 13, pp. 55–59). InterVarsity Press.
Beale, G. K. (2003). 1–2 Thessalonians (pp. 72–73). InterVarsity Press.
Weima, J. A. D. (2014). Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament: 1–2 Thessalonians (R. W. Yarbrough & R. H. Stein, Eds.; pp. 142–149). Baker Academic.