In other words, Paul’s strong pastoral identity was rooted in God. God made him a pastoral apostle, God equipped him with the tools of an apostle, and God sent him to Thessalonica. God made Paul the Thessalonians’ mother and father in the faith. All the accusations in the world could not shake that firm conviction. Even the praise and admiration of the churches did not alter the fact that he took his identity cues from God and not from the world or the church.