Theology in Toy Story 4 - Beloved Trash

Toy Story 4 is about a group of toys owned by the 5 year old girl, Bonnie. The Toy I found interesting was called Froky. Bonnie, on her first day in school, made Forky from stuff she got from the trash bin - a dirty fork, chewed gum, Popsicle stick and a string. Forky was her favorite toy, because she made it on her own. But there is a problem. Forky does not want to stay with Bonnie. Forky wants to go back into the trash bin, he came from.

Forky feels his place is to be in the trash bin. Forky feels uncomfortable being with Bonnie. Bonnie's family goes on a road trip. Forky's tendency to make a run for the road side trash bins threatens the whole toy group. In fact, it eventually splits the group. Woody wants Forky to be with Bonnie has a favorite toy. Woody tries multiple times to convince Froky that he shouldn't keep running away to trash bins, but stay with Bonnie. But is unsuccessful.

Looking at this from a teleological perspective, we see that Foky's struggle is with self-worth. at times our temptation is to see our self worth as being made out of what we think we are worth. If we are made out of material that the world values a lot - money, intelligence, beauty - then we consider ourselves valuable. The sociologist Charles Cooley said, "i am not who i think i am, i am not who you think i am. i am what i think you think i am." If we don't have enough of money, intelligence and/or beauty then we feel like our self worth isn't any better than how feel feel others treat us, as trash.

In the movie, the good news is that Woody figures out a way to prevent Froky from running for trash bin. Forky's value, says Woody, does not come from what Forky is made from but rather Woody's value is bestowed upon Forky by the love that Bonnie has for it. In more ways than one, this is a representation of the Gospel. Our values does not come from what we are made out of, or what we are capable of, rather, our values comes from the love that is bestowed up on us by God through Jesus Christ.

Henri Nouwen says in his book The Life of the Beloved that the temptation we face in the world today is one of self-rejection. The world is trying to get us to find our identity and self worth in by our achievements our, and how others see us, and more importantly how we see ourselves. Failures in the sight of others and ourselves make us feel rejected. Nowwen goes on to say that the good news of the Gospel is the deep affirmation we get from God, through Jesus Christ. Likewise, the theology in Toy Story 4 reminds us that our self worth comes not from how God sees us, it is bestowed upon us by God, out of his everlasting love for us.

In one sense, we are made out of the dust of the earth, we are fallen people, so we may feel trashy, but the Gospel reminds us that we are the beloved of the King of the world, so we are have deeply affirmed and are worthy. One could say we are beloved trash!