Equal Partners
Opening Song: The Family is of God (additional songs for Children)
Scripture: Genesis 3:16-18, Moses 3:18
Closing Song: Love is Spoken Here (Children's Song Book)
Activity: Have your children try to do something with one hand that is more easily done with two. Show your children two right-handed gloves. Ask them if they need two right hand gloves. Then show them a matching pair of gloves. Explain that need a left hand and a right hand. They're both equal but they both perform different roles.
"In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners." (The Family: A Proclamation to the World)
Men and women were created to be different. One isn't better than the other. Many people in the world will try and tell you that boys are more important or that girls are better than boys. That isn't true. The world will also try and tell you that boys and girls have to be the same to be equal. This isn't true either.
Here is a parable that helps us understand the importance of both men and women and how they have different but equal roles.
Once a man received as his inheritance two keys. The first key, he was told, would open a vault which he must protect at all cost. The second key was to a safe within the vault which contained a priceless treasure. He was to open this safe and freely use the precious things which were stored therein. He was warned that many would seek to rob him of his inheritance. He was promised that if he used the treasure worthily, it would be replenished and never be diminished, not in all eternity. He would be tested. If he used it to benefit others, his own blessings and joy would increase.
Scripture: Genesis 3:16-18, Moses 3:18
Closing Song: Love is Spoken Here (Children's Song Book)
Activity: Have your children try to do something with one hand that is more easily done with two. Show your children two right-handed gloves. Ask them if they need two right hand gloves. Then show them a matching pair of gloves. Explain that need a left hand and a right hand. They're both equal but they both perform different roles.
"In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners." (The Family: A Proclamation to the World)
Men and women were created to be different. One isn't better than the other. Many people in the world will try and tell you that boys are more important or that girls are better than boys. That isn't true. The world will also try and tell you that boys and girls have to be the same to be equal. This isn't true either.
Here is a parable that helps us understand the importance of both men and women and how they have different but equal roles.
The man went alone to the vault. His first key opened the door. He tried to unlock the treasure with the other key, but he could not, for there were two locks on the safe. His key alone would not open it. No matter how he tried, he could not open it. He was puzzled. He had been given the keys. He knew the treasure was rightfully his. He had obeyed instructions, but he could not open the safe.
In due time, there came a woman into the vault. She, too, held a key. It was noticeably different from the key he held. Her key fit the other lock. It humbled him to learn that he could not obtain his rightful inheritance without her.
They made a covenant that together they would open the treasure and, as instructed, he would watch over the vault and protect it; she would watch over the treasure. She was not concerned that, as guardian of the vault, he held two keys, for his full purpose was to see that she was safe as she watched over that which was most precious to them both. Together they opened the safe and partook of their inheritance. They rejoiced for, as promised, it replenished itself.
With great joy they found that they could pass the treasure on to their children; each could receive a full measure, undiminished to the last generation.
Perhaps some few of their posterity would not find a companion who possessed the complementary key, or one worthy and willing to keep the covenants relating to the treasure. Nevertheless, if they kept the commandments, they would not be denied even the smallest blessing.
Because some tempted them to misuse their treasure, they were careful to teach their children about keys and covenants.
There came, in due time, among their posterity some few who were deceived or jealous or selfish because one was given two keys and another only one. “Why,” the selfish ones reasoned, “cannot the treasure be mine alone to use as I desire?”
Some tried to reshape the key they had been given to resemble the other key. Perhaps, they thought, it would then fit both locks. And so it was that the safe was closed to them. Their reshaped keys were useless, and their inheritance was lost.
Those who received the treasure with gratitude and obeyed the laws concerning it knew joy without bounds through time and all eternity. (Elder Boyd K. Packer 1993 General Conference Address: For Time and All Eternity)
Comments
Post a Comment