Anabaptism at 500: Renewal Through Trust and Yieldedness
Proverbs 3:5–8; Matthew 18:1–5
Pastor Calvary deJong
Introduction: Yield Signs and Life with God
When I was growing up in Winnipeg’s blue-collar neighbourhood of Transcona, big red four-way stop signs seemed to mark nearly every corner of our former railway town turned suburb. Later, when I moved to Saskatoon, I noticed something different—many intersections in historic neighbourhoods like City Park, Nutana, and Riversdale had yield signs instead. Rather than forcing every lane of traffic to stop, vehicles were able to flow more freely because one direction was willing to yield the right of way to the other. These triangular traffic signs illustrate a larger principle for life: yielding means recognizing the world doesn’t revolve around me. This is more than traffic engineering—it’s a picture of discipleship. The early Anabaptists used the German word Gelassenheit to describe this posture of yieldedness: a calm release, a surrender of self-will, and a trustful openness to God. It wasn’t passivity. It was active obedience—choosing to set aside personal preference to follow Christ and love others.
As we continue our series, “Anabaptism at 500,” we remember that the Radical Reformation didn’t begin with programs or structures, but with people whose lives were radically reoriented around Jesus. Renewal came as they trusted God completely and yielded their whole lives to Him. That same call comes to us today.
Trusting God, Not Ourselves (Proverbs 3:5–6)
Proverbs invites us to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” In Hebrew poetry, this is an example of parallelism—two lines that echo and sharpen each other. The first is positive: place your whole weight upon God’s wisdom and character. The second is negative: refuse to prop yourself up with your own limited perspective. Together, the lines remind us that trust is more than mental agreement—it is dependence.
To lean on our own understanding is to insist that we know best. By contrast, yielding means giving God the right of way in every decision, resting the full weight of our lives on Him. Verse 6 continues the thought: “In all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Here, submission is to yield. To put trust in action—acknowledging Jesus as Lord in every aspect of life. The promise is not that the road will be easy, but that it will be straight—aligned with God’s good purposes. Yieldedness shows up in the details of daily life. Every time we pray before making a decision, every time we set aside our own agenda to listen for God’s leading, every time we choose faithfulness over self-reliance, we are practicing the way of trust.
The Way of Childlike Humility (Matthew 18:1–5)
The disciples once asked Jesus, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” They assumed the kingdom of God worked like every other system of worldly power—with ladders to climb and honours to win. But Jesus turned their assumptions upside down. He placed a child in front of them and said, “Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Children in that culture had no real status or power. They were vulnerable, overlooked, and dependent. Yet Jesus said greatness belongs to those who take the lowly position of a child—those who yield, trust, and welcome others with humility. True greatness in the kingdom is not about achievement but about surrender. This challenges us in a culture that constantly tells us to push forward, take charge, and prove ourselves. Jesus calls us to yield, to trust, to be willing to stoop low. The Kingdom of heaven belongs not to the self-promoting but to the surrendered.
Michael & Margaretha Sattler and the Cost of Yieldedness
The story of Michael Sattler and his wife Margaretha illustrates the radical nature of Gelassenheit. Sattler helped draft the Schleitheim Confession (1527), the first Anabaptist confession of faith, which boldly declared that baptism belonged only to repentant believers. It condemned infant baptism as “the highest and chief abomination of the Pope,” and called Christians to reject violence. These convictions were not abstract theology—they were embodied surrender. The cost was severe. Michael was arrested, tortured, and executed, praying for his persecutors as flames rose around him. Margaretha, too, was drowned for her faith. Their witness shows us that yieldedness is not merely an inward posture—it is a costly, outward faith that may lead even through suffering. And yet, in their surrender, they testified to a greater trust: that the Lord who calls us is faithful, even unto death.
Yieldedness in Everyday Life
Not all acts of yieldedness are as dramatic as martyrdom. Sometimes they take the form of daily choices. Sociologist Donald Kraybill tells of the Amishin the modern-day USA, descendants of the Anabaptists, who resisted putting bright orange triangles on their buggies because it conflicted with their values of simplicity and humility. They were willing to face fines rather than compromise their convictions.
Our lives look very different from the Amish—we use technology, drive cars, and engage the modern world. But the call remains the same: to yield daily decisions, priorities, and desires to Christ. Yieldedness today might mean letting go of control in family conflicts, resisting the urge to always demand our own way, or learning to listen deeply before we speak.
The Gospel Invitation: Jesus Our Example
Here is the good news: Jesus has already walked this path of yieldedness. In the Garden of Gethsemane, facing the cross, He prayed, “Not my will, but yours be done.” He yielded to the Father fully—even when it meant suffering. He did it so that we could be forgiven and free. And by His Spirit, He gives us strength to walk the same road. Yielding is not something we can achieve by willpower alone. Left to ourselves, we cling to control. But when we yield to Christ, we discover the paradox of the kingdom: when we release, we receive; when we stoop low, God lifts us up; when we yield, we find true freedom. This is the renewal that Jesus offers.
Questions for Reflection & Action
- Where am I leaning on my own understanding instead of trusting the Lord?
- How is Jesus inviting me to take the lowly position of a child?
- What would it look like for me to practice Gelassenheit—yieldedness—in my daily relationships?
Prayer of Response
Lord Jesus,
You call us to trust You with all our hearts and to lean not on our own understanding.
Thank You for walking this road of yieldedness before us, praying “Not my will, but yours be done.”
By Your Spirit, renew us to live with surrendered hearts—so that our lives may testify to Your kingdom.
Amen.