quote for today

"The revolution of Jesus is in the first place and continuously a revolution of the human heart or spirit. It did not and does not proceed by means of the formation of social institutions and laws, the outer forms of our existence, intending that these would then impose a good order of life upon people who come under that power. Rather, his is a revolution of character, which proceeds by changing people from the inside through ongoing personal relationship to God in Christ and to one another. It is one that changes their ideas, beliefs, feelings, and habits of choice, as well as their bodily tendencies and social relations. It penetrates to the deepest layers of their soul. External, social arragnements may be useful to this end, but they are not the end, nor are they a fundamental part of the means. "On the other hand, from those divinely renovated depths of the person, social structures will naturally be transformed so that 'justice roll[s] down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream' (Amos 5:24). Such streams cannot flow through corrupted souls. Conversely, a renovated 'within' will not cooperate with public streams of unrighteousness. It will block them--or die trying. It is the only thing that can do so." --Dallas Willard. Renovation of the Heart, 2002. pp. 15.