Prosperity in Proverbs
Prosperity in Proverbs Proverbs 3:2 Verse 3 actually shows how far removed Proverbs is from an ethic of external obedience and reward. The command to maintain love and faithfulness demonstrates that the internal character of the heart is in view here. The general nature of this command ought to be preserved as well—the verse does not speak specifically of fidelity to the covenant or in some other particular arena of life but looks for inner integrity that manifests itself in all interactions with God and people. In this respect, Proverbs is different from earlier non-Israelite wisdom. The command to “bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart” further indicates that the character of the student is in view rather than just his behavior. Some have suggested that the binding of love to the neck means that it is here a kind of necklace that beautifies the individual. But the parallel between “neck” and “heart” here implies that fidelity is more than an...