Lazarus the Chicken Man

I was standing in the hallway of one of CEF's partner churches waiting for a meeting to start when I spotted him - Lazarus the Chicken Man. All around me on the walls were lovely murals of Jesus' life and ministry. I wasn't really interested in them, although the colors did strike me as vivid and the art work as something particularly adept, not your normal church fare at all.

Directly in front of me was a mural depicting Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. I studied Jesus, moved onto Mary, but was arrested by the get-up newly-alive Lazarus sported. Was it just me, or did Lazarus look like he was wearing a giant chicken suit?

What do you think? As you study this work, observe how fightened that sheep looks. Mary too.

It's almost as if Lazarus dressed up for some out-of-control frat party, but died before he could get to it. Just imagine: Jesus commands the men to unbind him, when all of a sudden Lazarus steps forth in all of his chicken glory and shouts "par-tay!" Then they all go down to his house and have some good wine. Yeah, this is the Gospel as it should be - lots of rejoicing, and redeemed frat boys, and good wine. Let me tell you, it made my day.