Eighteenth century artist Benjamin West once told how he became a painter. When he was a boy, one day his mother left him in charge of his baby sister, Sally, while she ran an errand. While she was gone he discovered some bottles of colored ink and began to paint Sally’s portrait. In doing so he made a considerable mess.

When his mother saw the mess, she made no comment, but picked up the portrait he had made and said, “Why, it’s Sally!” Then she stooped and kissed him.

Ever after, Benjamin West used to say, “My mother’s kiss made me a painter.”

Billy Graham once said that the key leaders of our country are the mothers and fathers. As parents, our kiss, our example and our instruction are powerful tools to make our children into the men and women God wants them to be.