The Servant’s Care. 1st Thessalonians 2:7 What mattered more than the Thessalonians' care for him was his care for them. His heart was gentle toward those who heard him preach the Gospel and believed in the Lord Jesus Christ when he shared Jesus as the Savior of sinners. Those people were his “glory and joy” because he had sincerely ministered the Gospel to them. He was tender with them, like a mother caring for her newborn.
A mother is attentive to her infant's needs, just as she would feed the child when hungry or gently care for it when in pain. Similarly, those who care for the Lord’s people are especially mindful of new believers among us in the assembly. Cherishing a young believer involves protecting and shielding them from harm, much like a bird covers her young with her wings even while they are in the nest. It is the duty of older believers to meet the needs of the young and ensure they know we care for their souls and are here to support them.
An example of the spiritual relationship these three men had was that of a nurse (nursing mother) caring for her children. Spiritual pediatrics involves serving them with understanding and love, as well as teaching them patiently. This, in turn, requires commitment from the mature believer. Am I willing to spend the necessary time with the new believer? Am I prepared to make this a priority and reconsider the other commitments I have? That means I need to focus intentionally. A person cannot take on too many people or tasks at once. It may be up to us to share this responsibility with others who want to see new believers grow.
The evangelist, coming alongside the new child of God as someone who sincerely cares, is a person of intelligence and affection. Like a nursing mother who bears her newborn close to her heart, a new spiritual child in the arms of a quiet and realistic servant of God demonstrates genuine love. They want to ensure the newborn Christian begins their new life in Christ heading in the right direction. Patiently teaching the word of God and imparting truths needed by the new nature requires compassion, understanding, and spiritual instinct. These are qualities of those who want the newborn child of God to not only be saved but to daily follow the Lord.
This kind of follow-up includes attending the Bible class and Bible study meetings of the assembly. Ministry meetings and conferences help strengthen individuals by connecting them with many of God's people. Personal follow-up is a one-on-one relationship with a mature believer aimed at helping the new child of God grow as a Christian. To do this, the person doing the follow-up can provide the new believer with study materials such as a course, a concordance, and suitable books, as well as meet regularly with that individual.