The sounds of children: The child placed by Jesus in the midst of the disciples in dialog with Christian development

Abstract

Much good development work has been done by Christians, especially in response to children. Yet, much of Christian development is done with little theological reflection. Without theological reflection, activism can be carried by its own momentum, which may be informed more by secular models of development that do not necessarily cohere with the Christian faith. In this article, I reflect theologically on Christian development by looking at it through a particular pericope presented in Matthew 18: Jesus places a child in the midst of the disciples. I focus specifically on three actions: placing a child in the midst, turning and becoming, and receiving. I relate these actions to Christian development, change, and power. I contend this text calls us to attend to the ‘sound of children’ and to be interrupted by the child placed by Jesus in our midst who poses fundamental challenges to dominant approaches of evangelical Christian development. Christian conceptions of development need to be reimagined through the child who Jesus names as ‘great’. Instead of presuming that our development work is building God’s kingdom, we view ourselves as seekers who enter in by attending to those who are invisible and marginalized. Rather than placing the burden of change on the shoulders of the excluded, Jesus invites those competing for power to change. Development work can be conceived as becoming like a child: humble, vulnerable, and dependent. Instead of simply doing for the child, development work takes the posture of receiving. Acts of hospitality involve the mutually shaping of child and development worker. Furthermore, instead of serving those in need of development in the name of Christ, Christian workers are invited to encounter Christ through those who are on the margins. Development practitioners are encountering Christ, being discipled, and being changed through those they are called to receive.