Have you ever had a family member or close friend who you really enjoyed being around? Of course, right? Have you ever been surprised to learn something new, and perhaps unsettling, about that person? You assume that this person sees the world the way you do, agrees with you on most everything. Then you find out you’re not quite as similar as you thought. This can be quite upsetting. We can even begin to undo years of agreement and friendship over the first hint of disagreement. Our ‘fight or flight’ instinct starts to kick in. We feel like we have to attack or avoid someone who was once so close to us. In the midst of ever increasing polarization this feeling is probably more common than it’s been. In the midst of ever increasing polarization, Jesus’ call for us to be peacemakers may be more important than it’s ever been.