I was flying with a friend and we were enjoying the beautiful lay of the land. There were perfectly laid out fields and wooded areas. They had straight and clear boundaries that looked like they had been painted there by a fine brush.

You could see the straight lines of crops that went from one end of the field to the other. Then I saw a field that had round lines in the crop rows and different colors in sections of those rows. I mentioned to my friend that I had never noticed anything like that before. He told me that what I was looking at was a field that was on a rather steep hill and the rows were going around the hill.

He went on to explain to me that the different colors were different crops that would hold the soil from erosion. It was one field with many types of crops all working to hold the field on the hill together. I knew that there had to be a lesson in those crops, all different, but serving the same purpose until they were ready to be harvested.

I started to think, “What if one section of those crops did not come up and that part of the hill was not protected?” Would the erosion start in that area and wash out everything below it?

What if the farmer had planted all the same things on the steep and not so steep parts of that hill? Would all of the same things work to stop the erosion? Why do we want everyone to think the same way we thing? Would it be better if everyone were the same?

These and other life questions will be addressed Sunday morning as “The Gathering Place Family” meets at 240 Courthouse Parkway in Washington C.H., for Bible Study at 9:30 and in the lobby at 10 a.m. for our Pre-Service Connection where we enjoy coffee, juice and donuts. Our Worship Service and Children’s Church then begins at 10:30. You can also view us on live stream, gatheringplacewch.org; on Facebook, The Gathering Pace. You can download our app at the app store, GP Church.