Paul continued his mission despite being in physical danger almost everywhere he went (v 2). Yet passages like this suggest that what hurt – more than very real sticks and stones – were the words and false accusations he faced from the churches he planted. Read verses 3 to 6 and 9 again. What do you think Paul had been accused of by the way he responds?

‘You know,’ he says (vs 1,2,5,11); ‘Surely you remember’ (v 9); ‘You are witnesses’ (v 10). He counters the accusations by reminding them of the truth: that he loved them (vs 7,8) and worked hard not to be a burden, so he could offer the gospel free of charge (v 9). As the Thessalonians’ love was proved by their actions, so was Paul’s.

Look again over the passage to see the different familial phrases and pictures Paul uses. His motivation was to build God’s family, which is why he kept going despite everything, why his love was so passionate – and why the hurt cut so deep.

‘Thine be the glory, risen conquering Son!’¹

Those of us who preach or teach (on matters of faith or otherwise) have a difficult line to tread. We want to persuade our congregations or audiences, and so use language and techniques that will make our message appealing – but is there a danger that we slide into trying to impress our listeners mainly because it makes us feel good? Persuading others can be addictive. It seems that Paul himself may have been accused of preaching to the Thessalonians in order to bolster his status. He repeatedly defends himself from suggestions that he has been trying to please them, trick them, use flattery, or look for praise (vs 3–6).

What’s the antidote to this temptation? It comes in two parts. First, focusing on serving and loving others for their sake can shift our attention away from our own desire for glory – or, in Paul’s case, demonstrate that we are not self‑motivated. Paul delightfully uses idealised images of parenthood to describe how he cared for the Thessalonians, nurturing them like a nursing mother (v 7b) and training them up like a father ‘encouraging, comforting and urging [his children] to live lives worthy of God’ (v 12). He completes the family portrait in saying that he also acted like an infant among them (v 7a), in refraining from asserting his authority. (Note that some manuscripts replace ‘young children’ with ‘gentle’ – there is only one letter between them in the Greek.²) Second, remember that God knows our innermost desires, more closely than we know them ourselves. Coming daily before God, who ‘tests our hearts’ (v 4), is the best way to uncover those self-serving motivations that subtly creep into our lives. God is the only audience that we rightly seek to please. May we ever seek to glorify him, not ourselves.

Are you trying to please God in your life, or people (v 4)? Ask the Holy Spirit to uncover what is in your heart.

¹ Edmond Budry, 1854–1932, tr Richard Birch Hoyle, 1875–1939  ² Furnish, Thessalonians, Abingdon, 2007, p56–58