But First Equality

“The responsibilities and divine gifts of men and women differ in their nature but not in their importance or influence.”

-Elder M. Russell Ballard

In the popular reggae cover "No Man Is An Island" by John Holt the singer quotes

No man is an island 

No man stands alone

Each man has a brother 

 Each man treat as his own

When it comes to marriage, equality is one of the topics which always springs to mind. 

Is a wife equal to her husband?

Is a husband a dictator of his wife?

In the last few weeks, the notion of the alpha male husband has been squashed by our readings. One such example came from the article Crossing Thresholds and Becoming Equal Partners by Bruce C Haffen and Marie K. Haffen. Clearing up the age-old misconception, the Haffens note that the bible example of Adam being instructed to rule over Eve does not make him the dictator which modern-day patriarchs wrongly believe.

Eve's role as a help meet signifies her equaled worth in comparison to Adam. She is neither his servant or subordinate as the Haffens describe. However, due to Eve's transgression (which is noted as the first act of disobedience in the Bible) many have come to the belief in our modern-day that Eve was simply Adam's to "rule and dominate".
As a young single adult in the dating game, I often hear how men were made to rule over their homes. This is far from the 

How can equality thrive between husband and wife in the home?

We've often heard the old adage that "if a man is the head... then the woman is the neck" or in a more musical note the lyrics from James Brown's "This Is A Man's World" which state:

This is a man's world
This is a man's world
But it wouldn't be nothing
Nothing without a woman or a girl

 

True equality in a marriage occurs when husband and wife see each other as truly equal towards each other and in the eyes of their Heavenly Father. This means that men who hold the priesthood see the importance of their wives to support them in this Heavenly ordained calling. Having this equal partnership allows husband and wife to find common ground to steer their families towards raising their families with the foundation of Christ.