1 Thessalonians 2:7,8

"But we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children. So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us." (1 Thes 2:7,8)



None of us are mothers at this moment, but we can all picture in our minds what a nursing mother is like. She possesses love toward her child. She will fee her child, protect her child, care for her child, sacrifice herself for her child among other things. As Christian soldiers, we strive to save the souls around us that are wondering around without direction. Although it is hard these days to get someone interested in the perfect gospel, it is even more difficult to make sure they stay on the path of Salvation after they receive baptism. That is likened to the difficult situation of a pregnant woman in labor and afterwards having to raise up a respectable human being. The easy part then lies in the moment of delivering the baby as opposed to the life-long commitment necessary in making sure the child walks down the right path in life.

After bringing someone to church, we have the responsibility to ourselves, to the truthseeker, and to God in making sure he understands the truth in the Scriptures. It is up to us to feed, protect, care, and be willing to sacrifice for the soul of our friend as the nursing mother is to her child. Many times we attempt to perform the duties as a spiritual nursing mother before our friend receives baptism. After baptism, however, we ceased to perform the same role believing that the 'child' knows where to go from there. Here, Paul sets an example for us to follow. He longs to feed, protect, care, and sacrifice for the Thessalonians even after they have received Christ fully. Paul is willing to impart his own life for them because he cared for them as a nursing mother did her child.

Feeding a child is to sustain the child's life. To feed the young hungry souls, we must know the Word of God because it is the Bread of Life. We must be able to encourage our brothers/sisters with the Scriptures. Protecting means to shield from harm. We know that this world is full of temptations coming after us everyday. It is up to us to be strong first in order to protect our brothers/sisters. By not leading our brethrens astray or into temptation and sin, we can prevent them from physical and spiritual harm. It could be as simple as not leading them or encouraging them to do certain things or say certain things. Caring is spending time to discover what another needs. By spending time with our brothers/sisters we are able to share our difficulties and weaknesses in life. By knowing what our brethren needs, we can intercede for them through prayer. Sacrificing oneself is to look at another more important than ourselves. It is being able to sacrifice our time and love to the benefit of our brethren. Whether it be a giving someone a ride to church or letting someone have the last plate of lunch, our sacrifice will be laid up as treasures in heaven. In doing all that, we can help our brethren draw near to our Father in Heaven and walk down the right path, while strengthening ourselves at the same time. Being able to 'nurse' someone means you have what it takes. We have got to possess of all those characteristics of a nursing mother before we can 'nurse' a 'child' to walk down the right path in our Spiritual Journey. Therefore, never forget that a new born baby cannot survive on its own without the intervention and love of a nursing mother.