“But we proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children.” (v.7)
We all recognize the need for special care of the young in many areas of life, including new Christians. Here in our text, the apostle Paul described how he and his associates treated the new believers in Thessalonica: “We were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children” (v.7).
Paul and his co-workers, Silvanus and Timothy, were spiritual parents to God’s family in the Thessalonian church, and spoke of exhorting, comforting, and admonishing them “as a father does his own children” (v.11). Like all Christian mothers and fathers, Paul desired that his spiritual children would grow up to reflect God’s glory, but sometimes this called for correction.
Bible commentator Albert Barnes wrote, “Those who minister the gospel should be gentle, tender, and affectionate… What is wrong we should indeed oppose—but it should be in the kindest manner toward those who do wrong.” In other words, we are to correct the sin but love the sinner, applying the correction with love. That’s not easy, especially among those we know best.
For C. S. Lewis, it seemed impossible until he remembered: “There was a man to whom I had been doing this all my life—namely myself!” So natural to treat ourselves differently than others. I for one want to be guilty of lovingly treating others as I treat (judge) myself.
Jesus was always the perfect balance of "grace and truth" (John 1:14). One example was how He treated the women caught in adultery whom the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him to judge. His response to her after all her accusers left was,”Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more" (John 8:11). In saying, "Go and sin no more," Jesus was not speaking of sinless perfection. He was warning against a return to sinful lifestyle choices. His words both extended mercy and truth.
May we all Be quick to extend His grace to others and slow in our condemnation.
The Truth: “Let Him who is without sin cast the first stone.” (John 8:7)
