The Gospel According to Toy Story

Lucky me…I got to see Toy Story 3 twice so far. I was smitten when the first one came out fifteen years ago, and this newest one is also wonderful. It’s not just an action packed Pixar marvel for kids; it’s also for grandmothers. This week when I saw it for the second time, I saw some Biblical principles at work. Buzz and Woody are fast friends and often have to keep the other grounded as in “You’re just a toy!” (“Faithful are the wounds of a friend”). Woody helps Lotso and gives him a second chance (“Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you.”) They just have to look at the bottoms of their shoes and see their owner’s name written there to remind themselves who they belong to. Who do we belong to? Faith, forgiveness, redemption are embedded in the plot, too. In movies, we like happy endings, to see good triumph over evil and for love to conquer all, and why not. That is what the Bible is about.