--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We’ve forgotten how to humbly interact…" description: "\"“We’ve forgotten how to humbly interact with a story on its own terms; we’ve lost the ability to wonder, especially when it comes to stories of human e..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/383/sarah-arthur-7184_bible_we-ve-forgotten-how-to-humbly-interact-w_1906458.jpg" --- # We’ve forgotten how to humbly interact with a story on its… ![“We’ve forgotten how to humbly interact with a story on its own terms; we’ve lost the ability to wonder, especially when it comes to stories of human encounters with divine power. So have our young people. As a church, how do we restore that sense of wonder? By restoring our sense of the Bible as…” quote by Sarah Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/383/sarah-arthur-7184_bible_we-ve-forgotten-how-to-humbly-interact-w_1906458.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/383/sarah-arthur-7184_bible_we-ve-forgotten-how-to-humbly-interact-w_1906458.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/383/sarah-arthur-7184_bible_we-ve-forgotten-how-to-humbly-interact-w_1906458.jpg) > ““We’ve forgotten how to humbly interact with a story on its own terms; we’ve lost the ability to wonder, especially when it comes to stories of human encounters with divine power. So have our young people. As a church, how do we restore that sense of wonder? By restoring our sense of the Bible as story, both for us and for the youth we serve; and by surrendering to the work of the Holy Spirit in and through this text that is mysteriously more than text.”” [Sarah Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-arthur/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote urges returning to a humble, awe‑filled engagement with biblical narratives, treating them as living stories and allowing the Holy Spirit to reveal deeper meaning. **In simple terms:** Treat the Bible as a living story that inspires wonder. Key Takeaway Embrace humility and seek the Spirit’s guidance in reading. Themes faith wonder storytelling spirituality Mood reverent inspired reflective Type theological devotional educational When to use this quote - church youth programs - Bible study groups - personal devotional reading Key Concepts theology narrative immersion spiritual formation Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance scholarly study with reverent wonder? - What practices help youth experience the Bible as a living story? A Different Perspective Relying solely on intellectual analysis can stifle the emotional and mystical aspects of faith. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) [Divine power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/divine-power/) [Holy spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holy-spirit/) [Sense of wonder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sense-of-wonder/) [Young people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young-people/) ## Related quotes > [I don't care what anybody says. Stick to the spirit of the play and you're doing it right. It's about embracing the spirit of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzan-lori-parks/i-don-t-care-what-anybody-says-stick-to-the-spirit-of-the-play-and/) [Suzan-Lori Parks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzan-lori-parks/) > [“The Bible-as-story works. It works in all the ways that story itself works: in offering transcendence, identity, intimacy, timelessness, wonder, and so forth,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-arthur/the-bible-as-story-works-it-works-in-all-the-ways-that-story-itself/) [Sarah Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-arthur/) > [“When engaging youth with the Bible-as-story, we must be wary of our impulse to “clarify” what’s happening in a given narrative, to explain “what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-arthur/when-engaging-youth-with-the-bible-as-story-we-must-be-wary-of-our/) [Sarah Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-arthur/) > [“Conspiracy theories are ways for someone to understand what is going on in the world and try to restore some sense of control in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-auliq-ice-junior/conspiracy-theories-are-ways-for-someone-to-understand-what-is-going/) Oscar Auliq-Ice Junior > [Somehow, we have to get older people back close to growing children if we are to restore a sense of community, acquire knowledge of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/somehow-we-have-to-get-older-people-back-close-to-growing-children-if/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [“It was always that way for me. 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The Bible is the story of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-oursler/in-this-one-book-are-the-two-most-interesting-personalities-in-the/) [Fulton Oursler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-oursler/) > [“Mr. Wiggin injected a kind of horror-movie element into the Christmas miracle; to the rector, every Bible story was-if properly understood-threatening.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/mr-wiggin-injected-a-kind-of-horror-movie-element-into-the-christmas/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [The Bible is one story that unfolds in one book, by one author, about one subject. A story that moves from promise to fulfillment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alistair-begg/the-bible-is-one-story-that-unfolds-in-one-book-by-one-author-about/) [Alistair Begg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alistair-begg/) > [“On earth, lots of wills are done. Yours, mine, and many others. And so, at present, heaven and earth are not one. What Jesus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-bell/on-earth-lots-of-wills-are-done-yours-mine-and-many-others-and-so-at/) [Rob Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-bell/) > [The whole Bible is the story of men and women trying to get back to God, to overcome that sin with sacrifices, good works,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-miller/the-whole-bible-is-the-story-of-men-and-women-trying-to-get-back-to/) [Keith Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-miller/) > [The Bible is the story of two gardens. Eden and Gethsemane. In the first, Adam took a fall. In the second, Jesus took a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/the-bible-is-the-story-of-two-gardens-eden-and-gethsemane-in-the/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [The story line of the Bible is the story line of God taking the initiative in seeking out a people who are His very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alistair-begg/the-story-line-of-the-bible-is-the-story-line-of-god-taking-the/) [Alistair Begg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alistair-begg/) ## More by Sarah Arthur > [“every church can treat each discipleship class and each worship service as an opportunity for continual rehearsal of what the words, stories, symbols, rituals,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-arthur/every-church-can-treat-each-discipleship-class-and-each-worship/) [Sarah Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-arthur/) > [“Just because your faith is shaken doesn’t mean the faith is shaken. 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Tell me a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-arthur/tell-me-a-story-says-the-poem-by-robert-penn-warren-in-this-century/) [Sarah Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-arthur/) > [“If imagination, as we’ve said, is the “region of discovery,” story is the wardrobe door, sending our young people “further in” and “still further…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-arthur/if-imagination-as-we-ve-said-is-the-region-of-discovery-story-is-the/) [Sarah Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-arthur/) > [“While the Witch plays her pawn, the King sacrifices Himself, and to all appearances, the game is over. But the Lion has one last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-arthur/while-the-witch-plays-her-pawn-the-king-sacrifices-himself-and-to-all/) [Sarah Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-arthur/) > [“In short, you can’t have the truths without the Truth. Either Jesus is telling the truth about Himself, or He is lying about everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-arthur/in-short-you-can-t-have-the-truths-without-the-truth-either-jesus-is/) [Sarah Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-arthur/) > [“confirmation is one of the most important and serendipitous storytelling opportunities we in youth ministry will ever have.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-arthur/confirmation-is-one-of-the-most-important-and-serendipitous/) [Sarah Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-arthur/) > [“Like fish, when metaphors get old, they go bad,” writes Christian poet Jeanne Murray Walker,9 and nowhere is that more apparent than among Christians…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-arthur/like-fish-when-metaphors-get-old-they-go-bad-writes-christian-poet/) [Sarah Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-arthur/) > [“from a Wesleyan perspective, we can easily see how the imagination is one of the ways the Holy Spirit works preveniently in our lives—before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-arthur/from-a-wesleyan-perspective-we-can-easily-see-how-the-imagination-is/) [Sarah Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-arthur/) [Explore all 94 Sarah Arthur quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-arthur/) ## More Bible quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [“God hates Hell. He hates the idea of people going there. He hates it so much that He was willing to take on human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-minton/god-hates-hell-he-hates-the-idea-of-people-going-there-he-hates-it-so/) [Evan Minton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-minton/) > [“The Devil can cite Scripture for his purpose, Sergeant,’ Anthony Payne replied. ‘That is from The Merchant of Venice, but it holds great truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arnold/the-devil-can-cite-scripture-for-his-purpose-sergeant-anthony-payne/) Michael Arnold > [When you put your hand on the Bible, you are saying something much stronger than just telling your peers that you're going to tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-greenwood/when-you-put-your-hand-on-the-bible-you-are-saying-something-much/) [Lee Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-greenwood/) > [“Scripture also teaches that human beings are morally responsible creatures”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-peterson/scripture-also-teaches-that-human-beings-are-morally-responsible/) Robert A. Peterson > [“The wife of a junior officer cooped up in a horrible canvas partition in steerage for five months wrote: "I had enjoyed much peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-taylor/the-wife-of-a-junior-officer-cooped-up-in-a-horrible-canvas-partition/) Stephen Taylor > [O Word of God incarnate . . . 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