⁶ We were not looking for praise from people, not from you or anyone else, even though as apostles of Christ we could have asserted our authority.      

우리가 그리스도의 사도로 능히 존중할 터이나 그러나 너희에게든지 다른 이에게든지 사람에게는 영광을 구치 아니하고

Remembering that they are driven by the Spirit that pleases God and is one with God (v.4)  did not demand things elsewhere or not necessary – again the idea of ‘honest’ manager, not seeking or charging what God the Master Himself did not charge his servants (NB yesterday’s reflection).

⁷ Instead, we were like young children among you. Just as a nursing mother cares for her children, 

오직 우리가 너희 가운데서 유순한 자 되어 유모가 자기 자녀를 기름과 같이 하였으니

NIV translates it ‘like young children’, but the original word means to be ‘gentle, kind’, occurring only twice in the NT, here and in 2 Tim 2:24. It is helpful to note from the latter, what kind of gentleness it is. ‘The Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.’ But NIV has it right to say ‘as a nursing mother’, that is a breast feeding mother, rather than a baby sitter or a child minder. So it is the kindness and gentleness that is fit to raise and teach someone as his or her own – Does this quality remind you of Someone? Wink wink 😊

⁸ so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well.

우리가 이같이 너희를 사모하여 하나님의 복음으로만 아니라 우리 목숨까지 너희에게 주기를 즐겨함은 너희가 우리의 사랑하는 자 됨이니라

Paul likens the gospel with their lives, ‘beings’ (our own selves, ESV), the ‘whole person’ idea (so, to ‘share’ them rather than give). It is only right as the gospel and you yourself cannot and should not be apart from each other. You are the gospel! In this way God’s whole plan, the ‘love’, operates in us.

⁹ Surely you remember, brothers and sisters, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you. 

형제들아 우리의 수고와 애쓴 것을 너희가 기억하리니 너희 아무에게도 누를 끼치지 아니하려고 밤과 낮으로 일하면서 너희에게 하나님의 복음을 전파하였노라

This verse goes in line with v.6. Thus, more than just to avoid being a nuisance to the Thessalonians.  

¹⁰ You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed. 

우리가 너희 믿는 자들을 향하여 어떻게 거룩하고 옳고 흠없이 행한 것에 대하여 너희가 증인이요 하나님도 그러하시도다

This is exactly the opposite of the dishonest manager (Luke 16). Only charging and enforcing what the Master has intended. This is God’s view of honesty, that is holy, righteous and blameless.

Lord, thank you that we have Paul as our example in seeing how honestly we are to be your managers. You give us your heart of raising and teaching others as our own young. Let us not charge or demand from others what you did not charge them. Because I cannot be apart from the gospel. I carry you, my Lord my God. Let this awesome and humbling thought carry me today. Let me exercise the kindness you desire to flow out through me. Thanks and praise be to our Lord and Master.

Above is papa and mama geese heesing me away that I might harm their young as I was trying to take a piture of them this morning 🙂