Toynbee on growth

Toynbee (see previous post) says that a society grows in response to challenges through the action of a creative individual or small minority.  This creative individual or group discovers a fresh way to move forward and influences others to go with them.  

But creativity has its nemesis: the idolatry of a previously successful identity, institution or technique.  

Creativity has to come from outside that which already exists.  Toynbee's argument is that ultimately such creativity comes from participation in the Kingdom of God, which alone is eternal.  

This leads to the thought that followers of Jesus Christ have as part of our mission to be so in touch with God's reign that we receive from him fresh insights as to how our own lives, our families, churches and nations can reject the idolizing of past achievements and serve God in our generation.  This doesn't mean devaluing or rejecting what God has done in the past, but building on and learning from it without being limited by it.  

And as we building our generation, we will do so in the full awareness that our work, too, shall pass as we will.  For we await the time when the new creation will bring in a world without evil or decay.  Our work is of value as it moves toward that Day.