What’s Best Next
What’s Best Next: How the Gospel Transforms the Way You Get Things Done
By: Matt Perman
I had to read this book for work and I at first was looking forward to it. I'm not sure how much of my opinion of it was related to the fact that it was a requirement rather than my own decision, but I can't say it was my favorite.
I had heard a lot of great things about it, and I'm sure it's probably helpful for most people. I just did not feel like I was the target audience for the book. My job is not real confusing, stressful, or disorganized. I don't have a lot of difficulty getting things done. I don't find my identity or worth in my job. I didn't find a whole lot of revelatory information.
I did get a few takeaways from it, but nothing that I felt was really worth reading such a long dense book. Basically to sum it up: Do the best work you can do, do all the good you can do (all work you do are good works), schedule things that matter, and know that your hope is in Christ.
Or it could be summed up like this: "Decide what's most important and just do it." There were a lot of different lists and 'organizational' tips for goals, missions statements, scheduling daily tasks, weekly tasks, etc, but it was overwhelming for someone like me who is just not in that life situation at the moment. It would be way more work to do their suggestions than it would be worth. I could think of some people I know who have a lot more moving parts in their job where this would be helpful. I just don't have a lot of difficulty with being productive with my life schedule.
So I will just end on a positive note with a cool quote from the book: "The heart of most religions is good advice, good techniques, good programs, good ideas, and good support systems... But the heart of Christianity is Good News. It comes not as a task for us to fulfill, a mission for us to accomplish, a game plan for us to follow with the help of life coaches, but as a report that someone else has already fulfilled, accomplished, followed, and achieved everything for us. Good advice may help us in daily direction; the Good News concerning Jesus Christ saves us from sin's guilt and tyranny over our lives and the fear of death. It's Good News because it does not depend on us. It is about God and his faithfulness to his own purposes and promises."