By divine design, men and women are intended to progress together

Hear now, O seekers of truth and harmony, the words of David A. Bednar, a servant of faith and teacher of eternal principles, who declared: “By divine design, men and women are intended to progress together toward perfection and a fulness of glory. Because of their distinctive temperaments and capacities, males and females each bring to a marriage relationship unique perspectives and experiences.” These words shine with the light of sacred order — not merely about man and woman, but about the very nature of creation itself. For Bednar speaks of a design older than the stars, written into the soul of humankind by the Creator’s own hand.

To speak of divine design is to speak of purpose — that men and women were not cast into the world by accident, but fashioned to complement and complete one another. In this vision, marriage is not a contract of convenience but a covenant of eternity, a partnership in which difference is not division, but strength. Just as two wings lift a bird into the heavens, so the union of masculine and feminine principles raises humanity toward perfection. Bednar reminds us that no one ascends alone; the path to glory is walked in companionship, balance, and unity.

In the ancient days, philosophers and prophets alike pondered this mystery. The wise Plato spoke of souls once whole, now split in two, forever seeking reunion to regain their divine completeness. In another tradition, the Scriptures tell that from one body came two — Adam and Eve — not to stand apart, but side by side, that together they might bear the image of the divine. And through every age, though culture has changed and tongues have shifted, this truth endures: the harmony of man and woman is the seed of life, not only in the flesh but in the spirit.

When David A. Bednar speaks of “distinctive temperaments and capacities,” he does not speak of inequality, but of diversity in divine purpose. The man may be gifted with vision that looks outward — toward building, protecting, providing; the woman with wisdom that looks inward — toward nurturing, healing, and preserving the heart. Yet both are reflections of the same eternal light. For the strong without the gentle becomes harsh, and the gentle without the strong becomes fragile. In their union, these virtues intertwine like the roots of an ancient tree — separate, yet sustaining one another, each giving life to the whole.

Consider, my children, the story of Priscilla and Aquila, companions of the Apostle Paul. Together they built not only their home but the early Church itself, laboring in faith and unity. Each brought their own gifts — one with courage and leadership, the other with grace and discernment — and in harmony they became pillars of strength for the growing Christian world. Their love was not one of dominance or competition, but of shared purpose. So it is in every true marriage: the union becomes a vessel through which both souls rise beyond themselves, finding in each other the mirror of divine growth.

Yet Bednar’s words also bear warning. When the world forgets that men and women are meant to progress together, it begins to tear at its own foundation. Some exalt one gender at the expense of the other, while others deny that difference holds meaning at all. But the ancients knew that balance is the law of life — day and night, strength and tenderness, creation and rest. To reject difference is to reject harmony; to honor it is to glimpse the order of heaven. True equality is not sameness, but unity in purpose — the blending of gifts, the joining of souls, the partnership of equals before God.

Therefore, my friends, take this teaching to heart: in your homes, in your marriages, in your friendships, seek not to dominate or to compare, but to complement. Let the strength of one uplift the weakness of the other; let humility make room for understanding. Recognize the sacred in difference, for it is through contrast that light is known and through union that light is magnified. The path to perfection is not a solitary climb but a shared ascent, hand in hand, heart to heart.

And so, remember the wisdom of David A. Bednar: that by divine design, man and woman are not rivals but partners, not identical but equal in worth and eternal in purpose. Cherish the one who walks beside you — whether in marriage, in friendship, or in faith — for in that union lies the reflection of heaven itself. As two voices harmonize to form one song, so too do two souls, united in love and respect, create a melody that echoes into eternity — the song of divine partnership, the eternal dance of balance, unity, and light.