It is important to understand Paul’s love for the Thessalonian believers. The image of the nurse-mother caring for her children gives us a profound insight into the depth of Paul’s affection for the new converts. He did not see them merely as a means to accomplish his own life goals, but understood their needs and exerted himself in showing love and concern for them.
This kind of compassion is reflected in the earthly life of our Lord Jesus Christ as well. Whether it was a woman who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years, a leper living on the margins of society, or a sinner who had been rejected by the religious establishment, Jesus’ love and compassion moved him to restore broken lives (Luke 13:10–17; Matthew 8:1–4; Luke 7:36–50).
7 But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children.