Character

In his book Little Britches, Ralph Moody tells about a time when he lied to his parents.  His father chastened him by saying, "Son, there is no question but what the thing you have done today deserves severe punishment. You might have killed yourself or the horse, but much worse than that, you have injured your own character. A man's character is like his house. If he tears boards off his house and burns them to keep himself warm and comfortable, his house soon becomes a ruin. If he tells lies to be able to do the things he shouldn't do but wants to, his character will soon become a ruin. A man with a ruined character is a shame on the face of the earth."

Remember the "character house", and make sure your actions aren't tearing boards off of it.