For the last few weeks, we have started receiving advertisements for back-to-school specials.  Staples and Office Depot are ready to provide students with the equipment they need to be successful students; however, every parent knows back-to-school shopping involves more than simply pencils, pens and paper.  Retailers are already communicating via television ads, newspaper fliers, radio spots and more, what the "cool trends" and "hottest fashions" are for this year's back-to-school student.  My 15 (soon to be 16) year-old daughter is always highly aware of what gear she needs to return to high school and maintain her status as a fashionista.  Usually, I dread the final credit card bill following the normal back-to-school shopping excursion.

This year promises to be different.  At the end of June and the beginning of July, my daughter attended the Creation Festival that took place in Mt. Union, PA.  If you are not familiar with Creation, this is one of the largest Christian gatherings on the east coast, bringing together the nationally renowned Christian recording artists and speakers to a 5-day event.  After listening to musicians and speakers talk about being missional, my daughter decided to sponsor a child through Compassion International.  She called me via her cell phone before signing up for the program.  It would cost $40.00 per month to sponsor a child.  I explained to her she would need to do household chores as well as cut back on her spending to come up with the monthly contribution.  This would be her mission, not her mother's or mine.  She agreed.  My daughter wanted to take Jesus' challenge to care for the "least of these" seriously.  She wanted to give sacrificially to help a little girl in need.  That means she will have to disregard the prevailing message of our consumer-driven culture and do without some of the back-to-school fashion "necessities" to follow Jesus.

Jesus calls each of us to let go of the prevailing messages of our culture and to become generous disciples.  I am proud of my daughter as she begins to take seriously what it means to follow Jesus.  She is not the only person who needs to come to grips with denying oneself and contributing to make a difference in our world and the Kingdom.  As the school year begins, students, as well as parents, will continue to be blitzed by messages telling them what they need in order to return to school: a new backpack; new sneakers; a new wardrobe; the current high tech devices.  During this time of back-to-school specials, there will be plenty of teachable moments to consider how we could use our old gear or even do without to help others in need and thus be generous disciples, faithfully following Jesus.