³ Join me in suffering like a good soldier of the Messiah^[a] Jesus. ⁴ No one serving in the military gets mixed up in civilian matters, for his aim is to please his commanding officer. ⁵ Moreover, no one who is an athlete wins a prize unless he competes according to the rules. ⁶ Furthermore, it is the hard working farmer who should have the first share of the crops. ⁷ Think about what I am saying. The Lord will help you to understand all these things.