What does Proverbs 7:24 mean?

Once again, Solomon urges his sons to hear and heed his teachings. Merely being exposed to Scripture, through our eyes and ears, is not sufficient defense against temptation; we must also heed it. Applying what we are taught, and taking it seriously, are necessary for those lessons to have an impact.

Jesus told the story of two builders. One builder constructed his house on a rock. When a violent storm struck that house, it stood firm. The other builder built his house on sand. When a violent storm struck the house, it fell flat. Jesus compared the first builder to whoever hears His words and obeys them. The second builder, He said, is like whoever receives His words and does not obey them (see Matthew 7:24–27). James warns us not to be simply hearers of God's Word. He tells us to be doers of it. He writes: "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves" (James 1:22). Solomon used the tried and true principle of repetition in educating his sons to obey his teachings.