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.