Religious, pious lady,
Filled with pride inside,
Pillar of the church,
Virtue personified.

Admired from a distance,
Smart at what she does,
Dramatically reads scripture,
Enjoys her applause.

Very good at praying,
Knows many holy words,
Holds her palms together,
With face turned heavenward.

Dresses well for church,
Neighbors so impressed,
 Though they sometimes feel put down,
In their plain and simple dress.

With the passing of the plate,
She drops few coins in,
If church in search of helpers,
She rarely joins in.

For, as a committee member,
When things don't go her way,
She packs her toys, as a child,
And goes elsewhere to play.

In her few unguarded moments,
Selfish envy clouds her eyes,
Along with glints of discontent,
And the tell-tale signs of lies.

Her head is bowed when praying,
Her voice is raised to sing,
Epitome of sanctity,
Position's everything.

Sincerity or hypocrisy?
Let the Lord resolve,
Pray for her ... and you ... and me,
And pray we're all absolved.

~ Virginia (Ginny) Ellis ~
Copyright 2002 ~ Revised 2008