Dealing with the daily issues of life we can often lose sight of how much salt and light we bring to this earth. As a Christian you bring much life to your community and this country, sometimes without realising it. You just being you makes a difference in the world.

You bring God into every situation. You take God to work, to the park, to dinner. As Christians we bring Christ into our street and work. Therefore we must bring a blessing with us. We forget what we used to be like without Christ, so often we take for granted the good we do.

Christians have the same issues as non-Christians – divorce, abuse, anger etc. However we aren’t evil. I live in a suburb where you see the damage done by drug use. One young woman we know lost everything, including her health and self esteem, due to a drug addiction. I strongly suspect that none of you are drug dealers. (If you have a drug dealer at your church you are either doing an amazing thing with outreach, or you have very serious issues!)

As Christians we tend to give money to worthy causes. What would happen if all Christians disappeared? What would World Vision and other organisations attacking poverty do? Who would support the local food banks? On a very practical level, in our time in Huntly we have personally noticed that the local Baptist, and likely the other churches, are very generous. This generosity might be dropping food off to those who are struggling, or to a food bank, running op shops, selling things at below market rate then using the money raised to bless the community, and so on.

Those of you in paid employment bring salt and light by providing for yourself, your family and whanau. You also support all the businesses where you spend the money you have earned. Therefore you provide blessings for hundreds. In our churches there are also those who that aren’t in full time or paid employment. However these people are still working. Perhaps they are growing vegetables, visiting others, making gifts, praying for others, helping others out, looking after kids etc. Work is not just a paid job!

It can be challenging to step back and objectively look at the wonderful things you are doing because it is part of your “ordinary” day/week/season.

One way to grasp what a positive difference you make as an “ordinary” person is to watch the movie It’s A Wonderful Life. It was made by Frank Capa in 1946. Although not noted for its success upon release it has become a well-known film and is often found in larger DVD rental stores. It is a story about a man who thinks he is a failure and is shown by an angel what his town would have been like if he hadn’t have been there. It is a powerful and humbling film that is well worth watching.

Have a look to see where you are making a positive impact in this world. Look where others are making a difference in their “ordinary” behaviour and tell them what a blessing they are.

• Inside out, up-side down – David Whyte's perspectives from no-man’s land