There is nothing so fantastic about its plot. It's a typical short story without subplots or flashbacks or dangling endings. But I cannot forget it because at that time, the message struck me. I was still a non-Christian then so I viewed it from that perspective. But having known Christ, I figured that "The two Amelias" could be a modern parable.
I'm going to reconstruck it here.
Once there was a child named Amelia. She excels in school and is admired for her kind and jolly peronality.
She volunteers to water the plants in the morning and stays behind to sweep the room in the afternoon. Amelia's teachers, whenever they talk about her in the faculty room, will commend her maturity for a young girl.
Some will joke that they want to adopt her as their daughter. Others say they want their children to befriend her so that they'll also be like her.
Amelia has many friends. She doesn't talk a lot but people gravitate to her because of her pretty dress and smiling face. She is like a celebrity in the school-- loved, cherished, anmired and even envied by her classmates.
Amelia's classes end at around four in the afternoon. After volunteering to sweep their classroom, she goes home always with an old lady wearing a faded dress.
People thought she was Amelia's maid, and whenever they asked who she was, the little girl just keeps quiet, refusing to answer the question.
"Please buy two cans of sardines for me, Amelia," the old lady in faded dress asked Amelia.
"Don't you have eyes? What am I doing?" The angelic girl was busy coloring a book in the sala, her crayons scattered all over the place.
"I'm sorry dear. But mama needs help with our food. If you can only pass by the store to buy--" she wasn't able to finish her sentence.
Before she knew it, Amelia has thrown her book at her, followed by several pieces of crayolas.
"Look! Look! You ruined my assignment! Can't you go buy the sardines yourself!? You're annoying me!"
Without a word, the old lady picked up Amelia's book, now torn and crumpled. She closed it and placed it on the dinning table. One by one she picked the crayolas and placed them on top of the book.
"How I wish you can be the Amelia that you are in school," she said as she whirled out of the room to buy Sardines.
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I modified the story to make it shorter. But essentially, I retained the message. For a non-Christian, this is a story of a child who pretends to be good in school to earn good grades, while at home she disrespects her mother and even refuses to help in the chores.
I guess I was struck by the story then, because I was somewhat like Amelia. But I praise God I was able to overcome such an attitude.
Now that I am a Christian, how do I see the story?
It is a rebuke. I address this message to all Christians. LIVE OUT YOUR CHRISTIANITY!
How often have I heard and seen Christians who chose to forgo fellowship for a night's out with friends, a trip to the mall, movie house or just plain hangouts. I wonder how these Christians can easily trash such a wonderful gift God has given in fellowship.
I do not understand how they can exchange their time for prayer and fellowship with these non-essential things. Where have the salt and light gone?
How can I relate the story to such attitude? They are two Amelias because they seem to be circumstantial Christians. They are Christians only when it's comfortable for them. They are Christians on Sundays, they are Christians in the ministry, they are Christians in the church.
But throughout the week, no hint of Christianity is in them. They hang out with non-Christian friends and they forget who died for them. They cannot profess Jesus because who will believe them? People don't see Jesus in their lives. What do they see? The world.
What pains me more is that they're doing nothing. They're letting circumstances blow them like chaff. They watch as their entire lives crumble, forgetting that He is the answer to everything.
Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.
The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
for the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.
-Psalm 1
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My heart bleeds oh Lord as I witness brothers and sisters in the faith get blown away like chaff. I've done all I know to do... Lord, I lift them all up to you.
I also pray for strength Oh God for I do not know how long I can endure the sight. Teach me faith and trust. God of Israel, reveal Yourself to us. Change our hearts!
Amen.
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