Try this experiment: read the Bible as if you were an outsider. Pretend that these scriptures belong to a now-extinct sect that many admire but nobody follows. Imagine that someone loaned them to you and that you have no claim of understanding or even believing them. For once, don’t assume that you have the right to be encouraged by every encouraging word within their covers.

This experiment isn’t as difficult for those who don’t consider themselves Christians or Jews. They don’t have so much to prove. You don’t need to convince them that they may not be experiencing all the promises of the Bible. As a result, the Bible sometimes means more to a sincere outsider than a complacent believer. A complacent believer is vaccinated against the wonders of God.