Instead he was gentle and unselfish, more like a nursing mother than an apostle. [source][source][source]
"A nursing child can become ill through reaction to something the mother has eaten. The Christian who is feeding others must be careful not to feed on the wrong things himself." [1][source]
However, Paul gave himself, not just his message, to the Thessalonians out of love for them, not for personal gain. In this Paul followed the tradition of Jewish rabbis for whom receiving money for teaching the Law was considered shameful. [2] The measure of his love was the toil and trouble he expended as he worked constantly, probably making tents and other leather articles, so he would not be a burden to them. Paul was by trade a leather-worker. [3] This is how he and his companions had heralded the gospel among them (cf. Philippians 4:16; 2 Corinthians 11:7-11). [source][source][source]
"A gospel messenger who stands detached from his audience has not yet been touched by the very gospel he proclaims." [4][source]