Toy Story with Paul McDonald and Corey Stumne
Coming up on the Men at the Movies podcast, Corey and I begin our three part series, opening with Toy Story. At some point in our lives, we all feel like either Woody or Buzz. Like Woody, we fear rejection, struggling to believe we are still beloved. Or we can be like Buzz, who doesn’t have a true grasp of his identity, either believing he is more important or less important than he was designed and created to be. But once they grasp the truth of who they are, they find peace and joy in the presence of their master. To infinity, and beyond—join us as we discover God’s truth in this movie.
Quotes
Pixar movies are all asking the question: “What if _____ had feelings?” In Toy Story, it asks “What if toys had feelings?”
Envy is the opposite of mercy. Mercy says, “You have something bad, and I want to take it from you.” Envy says, “You have something good, and I want to take it from you.”
When you try to live outside your original design, you run into constant pain and frustration.
Sometimes the only way to save us is to let us hit the ground.
Sometimes grace and mercy can hurt.
Themes
What desire drives our hopes, fears, and actions?
At one point, we all either feel like Buzz or Woody. They both have a self-image problem. They both live in an all or nothing world (Woody: I’m the favorite or I’m nothing. Buzz: I’m a space ranger or I’m nothing):
Woody: The desire to be loved drives Woody. He struggles to believe his master still loves/favors him. Afraid of being rejected. Trying to prove his worth. Unsure if Andy still loves him. Consumed with envy. Says, “If I’m truly loved/favored, this is what it will look like.”
Buzz: Believes he is not “just” a toy, but a space ranger. Doesn’t have a true grasp of his identity. Believes he is more important than he was created to be. When you try to live outside your original design, you run into constant pain and frustration. We want him to fly and succeed, but he needed to fall and break to understand who he was created to be.
Mrs. Nesbit: Buzz’s reaction to realizing he’s not a space ranger. Believes he is less important than he was created to be. Still doesn’t realize his true destiny. Feels worthless, ashamed.
Because of their misperceptions of their identities, they end up in hell (Sid’s room). But that’s where they come to understand the reality of who they are.
Difference between favoritism and showing favor.
Resources
“I can go to Disney and be a director, or I can stay here and make history.” - John Lassiter, founder of Pixar
Men at the Movies podcast, Up episode
Questions
How old were you when you first saw Toy Story?
How has the story changed for you over the years?
What do you do when you question your acceptance like Woody? How do you pursue being loved?
What has happened when you have felt more important than you ended up being? What was your “trying to fly out the window” moment that brought you face to face with reality?
How did that experience hurt? How did it reveal your true calling/destiny/design?
When have you become a “spiritual Mrs. Nesbit,” wallowing in shame and feeling unimportant?
How do you live a zero-sum life (like if someone else succeeds, there is less to go around)?
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Edited and mixed by Grayson Foster
Logo and episode templates by Ian Johnston
Audio quotes performed by Britt Mooney, Paul McDonald, and Tim Willard, taken from Epic (written by John Eldredge) and Song of Albion (written by Stephen Lawhead).
Southerly Change performed by Zane Dickinson, used under license from Shutterstock.
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