Reading Scripture as a Tourist

From Steeped in the Holy: Preaching as Spiritual Practice by Raewynne J. Whiteley (p. 31-32):

“The easiest way to approach this world of Scripture is as a tourist. When we arrive in a new country as a tourist, we usually want to visit the famous sights: the major monuments, great museums, natural wonders. We take photographs of key places, we learn enough of the language to deal with our basic needs, but mostly we rely on guidebooks and interpreters. We steer clear of discomfort, and, on returning home, relive our memories through photographs and reminiscences; we temporarily gain new perspectives, but they are soon overcome by ordinary everyday living. 

When we approach Scripture as a tourist, we do exactly the same thing. We work our way down the list of must-see sites, the popular and the well-known. We take snapshots of our favorite Bible verses, and quickly move on from anything that makes us uncomfortable. We learn just enough of the language to deal with the basics—Christ, prophet, miracle—and leave the rest to the experts to worry about. And we return home, excitedly talking about what we have seen, but the excitement soon wears off and we go back to life as it had always been.”

A good perspective, I think.