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Author Smith believes that the Bible, generally regarded as a collection of sixty-six separate books, should be seen instead as a single work with a central message. Smith takes readers through an examination of the Bible in the order in which it is given, beginning with Genesis.
When God made man, He gave him instructions for his safety, as a parent might give a child. But man disobeyed, wanting to be like God. In Genesis, there are examples of people God created, showing their human flaws. Yet even ordinary people like Noah or Abraham might be called upon to do God's work. The book's main characters are God and the Hebrews, and later, Jesus. The Hebrews' questionings and failings lead to the introduction of "God's solution": Jesus, who was proclaimed to be God's beloved Son at his baptism. Jesus gave all humanity an example in words and deeds: people should freely share through work and generosity of spirit, always stressing the practical. Smith concludes that all are called to be used by God, to be a blessing to themselves and others.
Smith, who has read and studied the Bible diligently since he was a child, offers here a neatly organized, succinctly presented thesis regarding the value of reading scripture as a uniquely informative and dramatically plotted work. It is doubtless meant to help others, as Smith believes all can do, no matter one's station in life. After all, a grocer feeds others, and a department store clerk helps to clothe others. How the author has encapsulated what to many has always seemed like complicated, disparate portions of a time-honored text demonstrates his focus, purpose, and dedicated mindset. Smith's short, logical, and thought-provoking book could prove to be an excellent study for serious Christians.