I had a hundred questions when we moved to Egypt and each day brought more. 

As a woman, it is appropriate to use my first name in this situation? What about that situation? 

Do I hug this woman? Shake hands with this man? How do I greet people? 

Do I encourage my kids to keep trying Sunday School even though they don’t understand the language and everyone gives them extra unwanted attention? 

I needed wisdom. I still do, 11 years later. I now have a lot of knowledge and wisdom from experience and from learning how to live cross-culturally. I might know where to use my first name, but I don’t always know how to navigate a conflict cross-culturally. I still need God’s wisdom as I seek to reach people’s hearts, to address their fears, to see their pains. 

In Proverbs chapter 8, wisdom tells us that she was born before the world began. Before there were cultural rules, God used wisdom to tell the oceans how far they could reach when He laid the foundations of the earth. This picture brought joy to my heart. When I pray for wisdom, God is not needing to “catch-up” to the cultural context. God’s wisdom has always been. 

“Do not forsake [wisdom], and she will guard you; Love her, and she will watch over you.” (Proverbs 4:6) We can seek wisdom; the wisdom of God that is available to us as His children. This wisdom is not a dusty philosophy or old-time custom, but an active aspect of how God provides for us and protects us, watching over our interactions and our daily challenges. In fact, James reminds us that if we recognize that we lack wisdom, all we need to do is ask God and He will give it generously (James 1:5). 

Let us listen, with hearts and ears tuned to God, as wisdom speaks of noble things (Proverbs 8:6).