The Apostle Paul never had any biological children, but that didn’t stop him from comparing himself to a parent. He famously called Timothy his son in the faith, but he also used the analogy of both a mother and father when he wrote to the church in Thessalonica.
After defending his ministry in their city, Paul reminded them of how he conducted himself. First he wrote, “But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children (I Thessalonians 2:7).” The language used here has been used elsewhere to describe a mother bird covering her eggs with her feathers, protecting her young. The Greek phrase literally means “to warm with body heat.”
This is about as hands on as you can get. Paul was not some scholar locked away in his ivory tower. He shared more than the gospel, he shared himself. Like a mother nursing her dependent infant, Paul generously and humbly gave of himself to meet the needs of the young church. In the next verse he says he was “affectionately desirous” of them. The word affectionately is rare, and this is the only time it appears in the Bible. However, it has been found inscribed on the tombstones of young children, indicating that this word describes a special maternal type of love.
This does not mean that he watered down the gospel message, but he gave them the truth in love. Paul loved the Thessalonians and did all that he could for them to meet their physical needs, but much more importantly, he gave them the words that could change their spiritual condition.
Then in verses 11-12 he continued, “For you know how, like a father with his children, we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.” The metaphor shifts from the maternal to the paternal.
Mothers are more nurturing by nature, and fathers are called to lead by example. Like a mother, Paul was nurturing, but like a father, he led by example. Biblical manhood calls on men to lead their homes, not in word only, but in action. With the eyes of his spiritual children on him, Paul practiced what he preached.
With these parental metaphors Paul shows us the importance of discipleship. Sometimes people need us to be gentle and compassionate, and they always need us to be consistent, encouraging and exhorting them to good works. We need to model the Christian life for others to see.
Maybe you aren’t yet the person who can be a spiritual parent because you are still too young in the faith yourself. If that is the case, find a spiritual mother or father (or both) that you can learn from.
Comments