Please follow in your own Bibles, if you will, a passage from Paul’s first letter to the infant church of the Thessalonians. First Thessalonians, chapter two and the first twelve verses:
For yourselves, brethren, know our entering in unto you, that it hath not been found vain: but having suffered before and been shamefully treated, as you know, at Philippi, we waxed bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God in much conflict. For our exhortation is not of error, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile: but even as we have been approved of God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God who proves our hearts. For neither at any time were we found using words of flattery, as you know, nor a cloak of covetousness, God is witness; nor seeking glory of men, neither from you nor from others, when we might have claimed authority as apostles of Christ. But we were gentle in the midst of you, as when a nurse cherishes her own children: even so, being affectionately desirous of you, we were well pleased to impart unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because you were become very dear to us. For you remember, brethren, our labor and travail: working night and day, that we might not burden any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God. You are witnesses, and God also, how holily and righteously and unblameably we behaved ourselves toward you that believe: as you know how we dealt with each one of you, as a father with his own children, exhorting you, and encouraging you, and testifying, to the end that you should walk worthily of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.
Now, if you were giving any attention to the reading of this passage, you are already aware that it contains a biographical account of Paul’s ministry among the Thessalonians. And in the course of describing his and his companions’ labors among the Thessalonians, he uses analogies drawn from family relationships. You will notice the very striking one in verse seven: “we were gentle in the midst of you, as when a nurse cherishes her own children.” And then again in verse eleven: “as you know how we dealt with each one of you, as a father with his own children.” Now, obviously, the primary teaching of the passage has to do with Paul and his companions, as models for the gospel ministry.