Identifying Enemies

The Bible advises against giving your sword to enemies. What is an enemy?

Friends, family and neutral acquaintances strive to protect each other. Occasionally competition makes someone seem like an enemy, yet true intentions are everyone remaining safe and happy whether criticizing choices, interfering in decisions or utilizing skills deceptively. At the end of conflict everyone is able to mend relationships.

There are three types of correlations between individuals and countries: friend, enemy and neutral. Most are neutral. Life is too short and resources too restrictive to continually cope with enemies. Without friendship there is no sense of an enemy. Without an enemy, there is no sense of knowing a good friend.

Having good friends, no matter what happens; they are considerate and want friends to have a happy life, at least the basic means of survival. They wish me prosperity. I wish them prosperity.

An enemy is a person who is never considerate of my feelings, challenges or strife. In the end I could die or live with permanent injury and they rejoice in knowing a competitor is gone.

When identifying enemies it is easy to see why giving your sword, power, self-defense, offense, kindness, resources, friendship or life to them is faulty. It is not certain a person will conquer a foe or experience defeat, yet it is nice knowing there is some resistance to a cruel fate.

Sometimes enemies smile. They behave like friends, yet they express a secondary position good enough for friends. They might express true intentions of careless harm when competing especially when popular opinion is against them.

The other part of not giving your sword to an enemy is remembering how to remain a friend or neutral. There are many methods for harming someone. With or without intention, a person must defend themselves. Sometimes it is because of glorifying an ideal. With endless potential they must think about themselves because another person takes too much. They have nothing left if meeting their demands. When asking someone for their last dollar to get something to eat, do they share the sandwich or do they devour it leaving the other person to starve?

Maintaining neutral ground against an enemy with harsh opinions is complex. Though communication is wonderful, arbitrators might be necessary. This is when a friend imitates an enemy. Imagine two lines of people bent on voicing negative perceptions. They express awful thoughts expecting the other side to understand. Both sides have intense emotions. A neutral arbitrator or friend restrains them from taking action. Taking action will escalate problems into a fight that reinforces the idea an enemy causes harm.

It appears to be a hostile offensive stance, yet the reason for tension is self-defense. It is only until confrontation does not end with hostilities an alternative solution becomes true. Previously engaging the enemy ends in personal harm and regrettable harm to another person.

When caught in this cycle people want to demonstrate harm is unintentional. A true enemy interprets attempts at friendship as subterfuge. Reasons for hatred or harm might not be within their control whether proving they are not a traitor or defending against potential harm.

Giving gifts makes enemies demanding. Things replace a desire to get along. They continue disliking the person because the behavior has rewards. Even when intense feelings of grief decrease they found a method to gain what they want. When discontinuing enabling them to counter attack they only understand the loss of future gifts. Instead of becoming friends they go to friends and complain. Perhaps friends will show pity with material gains.

As long as the system works they continue damaging reputations and making enemies. Everyone has opinions and makes assumptions about people. Sometimes avoiding enemies is a method for remaining neutral. Make life pleasant though reactions and actions are unpleasant. They do not have to be aware of potential conflict.

An adage states, "Keep friends close and enemies closer." Keep enemies at a distance to observe methods and observe signals of attack. The closer an enemy is, the easier it is for them to cause harm with spiteful actions.

Some say look large when small or small when large. This is okay unless everyone knows the method. Overly expansive statements are a detriment and undo secrecy.

Treat people evenly. Friends will know who they are. Consistency removes indications of intentions and motivations. It is also the best method for remaining neutral, because treating people fairly is a combination of friendship and competition.

Etiquette and politeness assists in avoiding complications. Rational people who work in a team without emotions dictating responses are admirable. It is possible to remain on task without taking or giving to much of one's self. Fair competition demonstrates capabilities, while cheating distorts capabilities. When caught cheaters are not great at cheating.

Act like a friend. Even during bitter competition offer friendly assistance so everyone is happy. Etiquette does not make a friend. Etiquette avoids making an enemy.

Enemies are harsh. They are real. Enemies lie and promise good things. They do not plan on fulfilling promises even when the promise is a substandard consolation prize. They are only happy when competition goes away. There are people who will never like someone despite what they say or how they change. Enemies are enemies. It is nice to ponder one day they might be friends. Frequently, they do not want to and never will want to be friends.

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