The enemy of your friend is not your enemy. You don’t have to inherit another person’s enemy because you want to be loyal to your friend.
There are friends who expect that whenever they have issues with other people, you should pick sides with them even if they are wrong.
Picking sides with them means acting in accordance with their new attitude towards the person they have problems with.
They expect you to inherit an enemy because they are at odds with another person who happens to be a friend or family member.
They expect you to start avoiding the person they have a misunderstanding with or start treating them differently as a sign of loyalty to them. People who demand this from others are not serious.
But as a sensible human being, you don’t have to keep malice with someone who hasn’t offended you or act irrationally towards another person on account of a friend in the name of blind allegiance.
Treat people equally. Let them prove themselves to you. If your friends are fighting, call their attention to it, try to reconcile them, involve someone they respect if necessary.
And if they remain adamant, treat them both with respect. Continue to relate with each of them like you used to do. Don’t pick sides with anyone. You may regret it later.
This way, you remain loyal to both of them and loyalty does not mean refusing to not have a mind of your own. The greatest form of stupidity is adopting someone’s enemy as a sign of loyalty.
There are friends who cannot even explain why another person is their enemy. Those ones are extra petty creatures. Refuse to be drawn into such a web of pettiness.
Choose your battles carefully and fight your wars. Be intentional about everything that you do in life. Be wise in your dealings. Don’t be blinded by the need to be loyal at all costs.
Friends who want you to be enemies with their enemies are users with a weird sense of entitlement. You don’t have to encourage their sense of entitlement. Stay away from unnecessary stress and drama.
Don’t inherit another man’s enemies. Loyalty doesn’t mean stupidity. Learn to manage every situation with wisdom and tact. Let your brain lead you. Be fair to everyone.
When dealing with conflict between friends, colleagues and even family members, be careful not to get drawn into their mess so that you don’t get swallowed by something that doesn’t concern you.
The enemy of your friend is not your enemy, it is not an inheritance.