For you yourselves know, brothers, that our coming to you was not in vain. But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict. For our appeal does not spring from error or impurity or any attempt to deceive, but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts. For we never came with words of flattery, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness. Nor did we seek glory from people, whether from you or from others, though we could have made demands as apostles of Christ. But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.
For you remember, brothers, our labor and toil: we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. You are witnesses, and God also, how holy and righteous and blameless was our conduct toward you believers. 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.
Comment: What did the Thessalonians see when this trio of people arrived on their doorstep? 1. They saw men who had been shamefully treated but not defeated! They weren’t cowering and mentally or spiritually overcome – they were, in fact, over-comers! 2. They saw people who were not in it for self aggrandizement! These men were humble. I love the sentence ‘But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children‘. Paul could be pretty ‘in your-face’ in some of things he said to people, but he could be very gracious when appropriate. 3. They saw men who gave their best as they presented God’s Truth, but these men knew how to earn their own living – they were in no sense ‘spongers’! 4. They saw people who lived the gospel which they preached. ‘You are witnesses, and God also, how holy and righteous and blameless was our conduct‘! 5. All of the three men who wrote this letter, were examples of true fatherhood, even though Paul was not a physical father! – exhorting, encouraging and charging (ordering emphatically) the believers to walk worthy of their ‘High Calling, to which they had been called by God Himself!
Prayer: Help me to answer the charge, which is given to me as well, manfully, Father
As I read it! 