Compassion

But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children: So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us. – 1 Thessalonians 2.7-8

When I was younger back in the 70s and 80s and 90s after my salvation I heard an awful lot about the toughness of ‘hard’ preaching with a focus on God’s wrath and punishment. There seemed to be a lot of scaring people in order to show them the need of salvation or even to obey all the right rules.

There is truth to that. God is a righteous and holy God who judges sin and Who expects holiness and who does punish sin. As we work with people we can’t hide that.

But here Paul stresses the importance of be gentle in our approach, as gentle in fact as a nursing mother.

The whole image of a nursing mother and infant in the epitome of love and caring and security. As a mother cradles her child in her arms she nourishes and conforms the child she builds a bond of love.

Paul says that this is how they dealt with the people. It reminds me of the verse in Jude that says ‘on others have compassion, making a difference.’ Sure, there are situations when we must deal with sin and preach repentance clear and simple.

There are times though when the world needs love and compassion. There are times when believers need comfort and love and compassion.

Paul ends this note with the words 'because you were dear to us.'

Tha makes all the difference.