serve two masters
Split your allegiance
To serve two masters is to attempt loyalty to competing interests or obligations that ultimately conflict.
The phrase comes from a biblical warning that divided allegiance is impossible—one master will always be neglected: You can't serve two masters; eventually you'll have to choose between your career and your family.
Often used to highlight inevitable conflicts of interest.
- have it both waysClaim mutually exclusive advantages
- best of both worldsHaving two advantages simultaneously
- sitting on the fenceAvoiding taking a position
- wear two hatsServe in two capacities
- double-hatHolding two positions concurrently
juggling act · contradiction · divided loyalties · allegiance · choice · parable · tug-of-war · torn between · scripture · mammon · paradox · morality · fealty · loyalty test · prioritization · duplicity · double agent · commitment
serve two masterstrue believer
Completely committed adherent
ride or die · loyal to the core · all in · pledge allegiance
serve two mastersundivided attention
Complete concentration on one thing
laser focus · tunnel vision · one-track mind · all or nothing · go all in
serve two mastersintegrity
Moral soundness and consistency
principled stand · moral clarity · uncompromising · true to one's word · walk the talk
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