Tag: Puerto Rico

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Choosing Faith Without Hesitating

Cats of different colors, eating food off concrete in an open outdoor space.
Ephesians 3:20–21 (ESV)—Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

“Come; don’t be scared.” I spoke in a gentle tone to the black-and-white cat hunkered behind a car tire. “I just want to love on you.”

I held out my fingers for a sniff but received only a head tilt from the Puerto Rican feline. Next, I danced my fingers along the sidewalk. Its eyes followed and tail swished. Still, it remained partially hidden, unsure of the human.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve been hesitant like this cat. In my prayer life, I’ve held back requests because mine seem to pale in comparison to others’ or seem to be too personal to share. I’ve even felt disinclined to pray for myself. I’ve been timid and reticent…yet curious like this cat. What would’ve happened if I shared my prayer requests instead of holding them inside, if I’d let faith lead instead of doubt? The answer: “far more…than all that we ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20).

Sadly, hesitation separates us from God. It says we’re unsure of him. The good news is, God doesn’t want to keep us at arm’s length. He desires to draw us near to him and to reveal his power: to heal the sick, to comfort prisoners, to bless the weary, to bring joy to the hurt.

To know God better, we can dig deeper into our curiosity and step toward him. We can pray, worship, study the Word, love each other, and confess our sins. Choosing faith without hesitating, we allow him to love on us sooner and we walk the path of delighting in his ways.

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Celebrating the Holy Spirit

The Front Bar at La Factoria in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico. A bar lined with seats, a mirror on the back wall.
1 Corinthians 12:11 (ESV)—All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.

At first, La Factoria seems to be a hole-in-the-wall bar, dimly lit with a few tables pressing against a side wall, a pair of booths along the back wall, and Latin music playing from the speakers. However, step back one room, and people sit at a wine bar, chatting while listening to percussive rhythms. Wander into the next room and dancers vie for a spot on the salsa-dancing floor while a live band plays. Roam through another door and dancers move to electronic beats in a night-club-like setting, and finally, venture through the crowds to the very last bar and find a more intimate setting with seating for ten.

Though each bar has its own rhythm, La Factoria as a whole “celebrates the mix of old and contemporary that defines Puerto Rico as a bridge between Latin and Anglo American cultures” (https://lafactoriavsj.com). Likewise, each spiritual gift, or “[variety] of service,” uniquely celebrates the Holy Spirit with “the same Lord” empowering each spiritual gift (1 Corinthians 12:5).

This bridge of empowerment of which Paul spoke connects believers to a community that celebrates the body of Christ. Indeed, our celebration of the Holy Spirit extols the glory of God’s plan and encourages others believers. Moreover, the body of Christ benefits each time we use our spiritual gifts.

So, whether we’re listening to music in a quiet room or salsa dancing on a black-and-white floor, our gifts laud the best of what the Holy Spirit has to offer us.

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Building With Care

Buildings in Old San Juan with metal balconies, wooden shutters on the windows, and various colors of paint, orange, aqua, light blue, lighter blue, and pink.
1 Corinthians 3:8–9 (ESV)—He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building.

A neighborhood restaurant sat alongside a couple of bars, a bakery, and barricaded buildings in the San Agustin neighborhood of San Juan. A stroll a few blocks north or south to the main roads revealed gas stations and everyday businesses. A twenty-plus-minute walk west to Old San Juan showed restaurants, nightlife, ice cream shops, and chocolate bars.

After witnessing this shift, I began to think Puerto Rico builds from the outside in. And that makes sense, to first build up the tourist areas—their livelihood.

I think they are building with care, like Paul told the Corinthians to. He explained his role as a builder of foundations and the people’s role to build on that foundation. In other words, he shared the news of salvation with the Corinthians and told them that they had a responsibility to perform their role and that the quality of their work mattered.

According to Paul, spiritual growth starts on the outside with shedding worldly ways. Without shedding these, we are still built on the foundation of Christ, but paying more attention to our worldly efforts doesn’t move us toward Christ. Putting in the effort to develop our God-given role benefits ourselves as well as others, for everything God does through the church helps all. Our responsibility is to perform our role to the best of our ability, with the tools he gives us, in the world we live in.

We can think of developing our role in Christ like developing a tourist destination with restaurants and shops. The beauty of the building draws people in. The excellent customer service and good food keep them coming back. When this succeeds, more buildings can be constructed farther into the city, all on the foundation of Christ.