What does it mean to let love and faithfulness never leave you (Proverbs 3:3)?

But this is far from all. As we know that "grace and truth came by Jesus Christ," the Israelite was exhorted to cherish confidence in mercy, or loving-kindness, and truth. Let them "not forsake thee," is the word. He was entitled to believe and count on them habitually and evermore. "Bind them about thy neck, write them upon the tablet of thy heart." What ornament can compare with them? What inward lesson so cheering and invigorating! "And thou shalt find favour and good understanding [if this last be the shade of sense here meant] in the sight of God and man."

So we see in our perfect pattern. Our Lord assuredly found in His unequalled path of subjection "favour" with God and man, as we are told. Whether the word often rendered "good understanding" is not modified here, as sometimes elsewhere, may be questioned. But as it stands, it was a good and welcome stamp of divine approval through devotedness to God's will, without either self-seeking or men-pleasing. Happy, when as here, it comes as the answer without as well as on high, to grace and truth written on the heart! Now too one word, Christ, expresses all; and the Spirit of the living God is given to us who believe, that He may be written truly and deeply on those tablets of flesh, our hearts. How rich the grace wherein we stand! For we all, contemplating with unveiled face the glory of the Lord, are being changed into the same image from glory to glory as by the Lord the Spirit.

Mercy and truth (v. 3) are particularly important in our relationships with others, and if bound "about your neck," they will keep us from being "stiff-necked" or self-opinionated; and when written on the tables of our heart will preserve us from hard-heartedness. But though these are mainly important in our relationships with others, yet they gain favor and high esteem in God's sight as well as in men's sight, for God is concerned that believers represent Him rightly before the world (v. 4).

Yet even in the days when faith waited for its Object and His work, and the best blessing then lay in promise, the heart was formed by the positive teaching afforded, and trained in the observance of commandments which came from God. They might come through a parent; and such no doubt was the due order in Israel, as it has been marked from their father Abraham, as Jehovah deigned to express His pleasure in his commanding his children and his household, that they might keep the way of Jehovah, to do justice and judgment. But what gave divine value was that it was His teaching, and that the commandments enjoined were His. This alone sanctifies — obeying God, obeying His Word, the effect and proof of love, when any are in relationship with God. Nor do we forget but remember what we love and value.

"My son, forget not my teaching, but let thy heart keep my commandments: for length of days and years of life and peace shall they add to thee. Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the tablet of thy heart; and thou shalt find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man." vv. 1-4.

Where mercy is not blended with truth, there can be no prosperity. Mercy and truth are met together in Christ; and it is said, “Let not mercy and truth forsake thee, for thus thou shalt find favour and good understanding (or success) in the sight of God and man.” Through our Lord Jesus Christ “grace and truth subsist” now, and when we receive of His fullness, it is not truth upon truth, but “grace upon grace.” Therein lies the secret for our spiritual success today. Ecclesiastical law-givers are often more stringent and burdensome than Moses; but it is indeed a double-dyed ministry of condemnation and death. Neither we nor our fathers were able to bear it. Those who were zealous for the law and for the temple when Christ was here, condemned His hungry disciples for plucking and eating corn on the Sabbath. The Lord pointed out what David did when he was hungry; also that the priests of necessity profaned the temple on the Sabbath days and were blameless, adding, “If ye had known what this means, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have CONDEMNED THE GUILTLESS” (Matt. 12:7). Is mercy rightly understood? Is grace rightly valued and shown? And love which “never fails,” from which grace and mercy flow—How much is it appreciated? John spoke of “love in the truth,” and of mercy, grace and peace “in truth and love.” It is this beautiful and blessed conciliation of divine qualities which is so necessary, and yet seems to be so lacking among those whom the apostle constantly speaks of as “Brethren,” and to whom he so often says, “love one another.”

233 The first two chapters of Proverbs complete, as a kind of preface, the exposition of the subject - the true wisdom which keeps from the different forms of evil in this world, from what sin has brought in. The last verses of the second chapter shew that it relates to God's government in this world, and supposes relationship with God as Jehovah in Israel - it does not touch on a new nature. In the next two, though there are warnings, we learn more what wisdom is, its judgment on all around. We may first remark, that subjection and obedience first characterise the path of wisdom, and it is in a known relationship in which he is thus guided. "My son, forget not my law; and let thy heart keep my commandments," chap. 3:1.