“Pura Vida”
I John 3:2B-3 “But we know that when Christ comes again, we will be like him. We will see him just as he is. He is pure, and everyone who has this hope in him keeps themselves pure like Christ.” ERV
Costa Rica is an impressive country and showcases beauty not found in my neck of the woods. However, like any place on earth, there are a few cons to be found. I admit to being wary of the ginormous iguana and pesky skunks that randomly show up everywhere expecting you to be the one yielding the path. I found the thunderstorms of the late afternoon a bit frightening. And, the sight of Hunt’s ketchup scanned into our grocery bill at a whopping $7.00 a bottle almost gave me cardiac arrest!
But, the pros of Costa Rica far outshine its cons. The beauty of the flowers is perhaps second only to the original Garden of Eden’s bouquets. The sunsets are the most glorious you will see world over. And, Costa Rica’s colorful birds are the ones you can only lay eyes on in cartoons at home.
However, other than the fact that my family is there, it is the sweet and generous people that top my list of Costa Rican pros. When you encounter them on the streets, they greet you saying, “Pura Vida.” Literally translated, Pura Vida means “pure life.” However, it also carries the meanings, “full of life,” “this is real living,” “this is the life,” or even “awesome!” The phrase is specifically Costa Rican, so if you hear someone use that phrase, you can bet the speaker is a Tico, a native of Costa Rica.
Pura Vida is a way of life for the Costa Rican people. Costa Rica has been named one of the happiest countries in the world. Ticos are known to live a simple life, free of worries and stress, being thankful for what they have, and not dwelling on the negative. Impressive!
But it wasn’t the Ticos who founded the Pura Vida life. Christ was the founder and author of Pura Vida. A truly simple and awesome life, free of worries and stress, is found only with Christ. Christ’s life served as our example of what a pure life looks like and His Word is filled with ways to accomplish Pura Vida. Yes, as a Christian, a pure life is free of worries and stress, for we cast them all over to Him. (I Peter 5:7) Yes, as a Christian, a pure life is being thankful for all that we have because we know that all good gifts come from God. (James 1:17) Yes, as a Christian, a pure life is a simple life, knowing that the most important things in life come from the heart and not from the store. (Proverbs 4:23) Yes, the Ticos have it right. Pura Vida is indeed a full and happy life that comes straight from living a life in Christ! So, Pura Vida, Y’all!
Help us, dear Father, to live the pure life you intended for us to live.
Blessings for Pura Vida,
Rita