“The Kind of Worker Paul Is” I Thessalonians 2:1-12

     For you yourselves know, brothers, our visit to you wasn’t in vain, but having suffered before and been shamefully treated, as you know, at Philippi, we grew bold in our God to tell you the Good News of God in much conflict. For our exhortation is not of error, nor of uncleanness, nor in deception. But even as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News, so we speak—not as pleasing men, but God, who tests our hearts. For neither were we at any time found using words of flattery, as you know, nor a cloak of covetousness (God is witness), nor seeking glory from men (neither from you nor from others), when we might have claimed authority as apostles of Christ. But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother cherishes her own children. Even so, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not the Good News of God only, but also our own souls, because you had become very dear to us. For you remember, brothers, our labor and travail; for working night and day, that we might not burden any of you, we preached to you the Good News of God. You are witnesses with God how holy, righteously, and blamelessly we behaved ourselves toward you who believe. As you know, we exhorted, comforted, and implored every one of you, as a father does his own children, to the end that you should walk worthily of God, who calls you into his own Kingdom and glory (I Thessalonians 2:1-12).

     These are how Saul the Pharisee or Paul the apostle go about doing God's work:

     1. with God's glory in mind

     But even as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News, so we speak—not as pleasing men, but God, who tests our hearts (4b).

     Paul does the thing he found himself in his life doing primarily in the service of God who called him. Therefore, he sees to it that God always gets the glory because it is only God who deserves the glory. All praise, admiration, and exaltation should always be directed towards God. It is never about the individual who does God's work but always about God who enables His servant to do the work. In the majesty of that work, the servant usually stands aside and takes a back seat, always reminded that he's merely a vessel, a servant as what the word exactly denotes; therefore, nothing fancy in it although sometimes, to the outsiders, it kinda look fancy. As he serves, the servant shouldn't just seek to please God's people but also give them what they really need and show them what's true although they may not understand it yet. Most of them may never get to understand at all ever. That is why the servant there to guide them. If his work gets appreciated and makes an impression, then good. He appreciates it too; he's just human. But making a good impression is not the servant's business. He is out there to complete a task, giving his all, and present it as an exquisite finish. After that, he moves on to the next, and to the next and to the next, equally giving his all. That is what giving God glory is all about. As it is, the work is yet well begun and half done; and he shouldn't let little accomplishments go into his head, or complacency will ruin everything. It also helps if God's work is done out of love. That at least makes it bearable.

     Paul always mentions in his letters that God has entrusted him with a mystery, a special revelation different in category from that of the other apostles. With this magnitude, it therefore behooves him to be a good steward of what was entrusted him.

     2. with people's well-being in mind

     As you know, we exhorted, comforted, and implored every one of you, as a father does his own children, to the end that you should walk worthily of God, who calls you into his own Kingdom and glory (11-12).

     a. pure

     You are witnesses with God how holy, righteously, and blamelessly we behaved ourselves toward you who believe (10).

     Paul and his co-workers were good examples to the Thessalonians in the faith.

     b. gentle and nurturing

     But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother cherishes her own children (7).

     Though Paul and most of his co-workers were men, they felt as if they constantly carried trays of food to the people's tables wearing a moustache and a maid's outfit if that was what it took to thoroughly care for the spiritual well-being of God's people.

     A servant of God does God's work with a goal in mind, envisioning a certain change, development in the lives of God's people, and works conscientiously on it; gently guides those who need guidance and strengthens the minds of the young and the naive, keeping them grounded in the Scripture, so that the latter can repel satanic influences when left on their own; and excellently communicate God's truths in order to dispel demonic lies, countering the lies by presenting the truth better.

     “Have I conceived all this people? Have I brought them out, that you should tell me, ‘Carry them in your bosom, as a nurse carries a nursing infant, to the land which you swore to their fathers’ ”(Numbers 11:12)?

     Even Moses during his time felt like a girl leading the Israelites out of Egypt, through the wilderness, and into Canaan. I wonder if he ever gloated over his leadership status. Maybe sometimes but most of the time not because the times he was in were not easy but full of troubles. Maybe Moses' way is the soberest way to lead whether in comfortable or stressful circumstances. It turns out, Moses was not a proud leader but an overworked and underpaid babysitter, a nanny, a maid. And he knew it and felt it.

     c. doesn't want to be a burden to God's people

     For you remember, brothers, our labor and travail; for working night and day, that we might not burden any of you, we preached to you the Good News of God (9).

     Paul had a day job or followed a certain trade while mostly acting as a preacher during his day.

     And because he practiced the same trade, he lived with them and worked; for by trade, they were tent makers (Acts 18:3).

     Paul used the earnings in his actual work to provide for himself and for the pursuit of his heavenly call. He didn't want to be seen as a freeloader. Although he also argued in some parts of his epistles that a little material support from a cheerful giver who thoroughly understood what he or she was doing would in fact help, he didn't impose it or make it a rule. Those who wants to give can give in support of God's work because any activity, even spiritual activity, costs money. He also wanted to show that working at a day job is the best way to be for someone who follows and pursue God's call for his life. It gives him and his spiritual work dignity, and he would be able to stand taller that way. However, we also commend those who decided to go full time in God's work, seeing that they're conscientious in it and living an exemplary life. Nevertheless, Paul did all the necessary adjustments in order to stand blameless as a servant of God.

     “You yourselves know that these hands served my necessities, and those who were with me. In all things I gave you an example, that so laboring you ought to help the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive’ ” (Acts 20:34-35).

     d. offers his soul

     Even so, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not the Good News of God only, but also our own souls, because you had become very dear to us (8).

     Paul imparted not only his knowledge, his revelation from God in a way that was comprehensible, but also his life as a person. He offered himself to be a friend. He also decided to give all his effort, skill, and ingenuity in laboring to nurture the souls of the people he was ministering to. Living a life no longer mattered to him; merely existing was enough for him to give a kind of service to God and to people that is of exquisite quality. No more holding back; no more reservations. Just decisive and resolute obedience to the One true God who called him. And the Source was revealed by the fruit that he broke down into these things: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control.

     3. with his integrity in check

     For our exhortation is not of error, nor of uncleanness, nor in deception. But even as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News, so we speak—not as pleasing men, but God, who tests our hearts. For neither were we at any time found using words of flattery, as you know, nor a cloak of covetousness (God is witness) (3-5).

     For his sake, a servant's motivation in doing God's work should be welling up from absolute purity. No amount, not even a tiny bit, of impurity should be found mixed in it. It's just simply blasphemy to use the things of God for selfish gain. Also, he has to check himself whether he's not making a mistake or being led by erroneous thinking as he goes about doing what he thinks is God's work. All his actions must be based upon a sound understanding of the Scripture. Satan's deception is normally so subtle that it sets in usually in ways that a deluded buffoon would think he was actually doing a religious thing. Once a person who unwittingly did so becomes aware of it, he must make the necessary changes and rectify his methods.

     A servant who teaches speaks only truths derived from careful and diligent study of the Scripture and by allowing God to teach him first and does not attach to it and use it to bring up his own ideas and prejudices. He must be faithful to the truth of God's word especially those that are easily grasped and understood and not invent his own teaching. Therefore, he must interpret the Scripture as accurately as possible through the ways mentioned. Then in communicating his learnings, he must not use flattery. God's word is naturally as sweet as honey, but some parts of it are also bitter like a bitter herb or medicine. The servant must speak what people need to hear, not only what they want to hear. Some harsh truths have to be brought up and not be sugarcoated.

     Who tell the seers, “Don’t see!” and the prophets, “Don’t prophesy to us right things. Tell us pleasant things. Prophesy deceits” (Isaiah 30:10).

Passage by Passage: Random Passages

by: Marven T. Baldo