How do I make a difference?

I woke this morning to a news item about a primary school in Chatham where the police had been called in because of the tension and abuse between 'British' and 'Slovak' families. The vengeful and bitter attitude of one of the mothers - "I'm going to do to her child what she did to mine" - made me quite depressed for a moment. The front page of the newspaper, with its latest report on atrocities in Burma committed against peaceful protesters, hasn't done much to cheer me up. I don't even know the full details of what is going on in Burma - I'm terrible at keeping up with the news; I just don't seem to have the time or inclination - but I know enough to realise the world is in a mess and people constantly suffer at the hands of other people.

So what can I do about it? In my own personal life I am largely cocooned from the harsh reality of pain. I enjoy popular escapist TV with my children (last night there was a double episode of Heroes) or cultural escapism with my wife (Love's Labour's Lost at The Globe yesterday afternoon) or trivial leisure activities on my own (too numerous to mention), while the world is falling apart.

My role as a minister sometimes brings me into contact with individuals who suffer and who need support. I listen to them and pray for them. My role also gives me a platform once a week to address a particular segment of the general public on any matter I wish. I try to preach love, tolerance, understanding, peace and joy. The text "godliness with contentment" is my theme for this Sunday morning, for example. My role also brings me into contact with people in an administrative or organisational capacity. I can model such helpful attitudes as respect and patience in the way I interact with others. Maybe there are more direct or dramatic ways of making a difference which I can attempt from time to time, but the ways I've just listed are the bread and butter of my life. If I can make a small difference in ordinary situations, it's better than nothing.