WOODY on IDENTITY

WOODY on IDENTITY

A Devotional on “Identity” and "Purpose" by Linda Harper

Seed thoughts for a curriculum based on the Cartoon Character WOODY in Disney’s TOY STORY. I'm sure some of you, who are Teachers, will be inspired with even more creative lesson ideas! I'd love to hear what you come up with! For now, just enjoy and apply these thoughts personally for your own benefit and encouragement. You are loved, you are special and you are valued!

Blessings, Linda

 The Disney movie series “Toy Story” features a Heroic and loveable Cowboy Sheriff named “WOODY”. With a yellow plaid shirt, ten gallon hat and an authority-packing Tin Star on his chest, he was the best in the toy chest for me!

 What I love best about WOODY is the value he ascribed to the signature on the bottom of his boot. His identity was in “WHO” he belonged to. He would look at the scrawled signature and be assured that he was loved, wanted and valued. It gave him such a comforting sense of belonging, of family and of worth. He had been purchased on purpose for his owner, who proudly claimed him as his very own special possession by giving him his name. Woody was loved...and he knew it!

 In one episode he suffered the loss of his identity when an evil, so-called “restorer”, painted over his owner’s mark and obscured Woody’s true identity. He felt worthless, unloved and without purpose until the signature was again visible and his true identity was restored.

 Woody worshipped his owner. He thought for sure he had hung the moon! Whatever his owner wanted him to do or be was fine with him. He swallowed his pride, yielding himself to his Master’s will and desires. Woody was as flexible as the Ragdoll he shared the Toy Box with at night! He gladly submitted because he knew his immediate reward would be more play-time with his Master. And more time with his Master was his greatest joy!

 Woody longed for his Master’s touch. He longed to be wherever the Master was. He waited patiently for him to walk into the room; often in the dark, often feeling lost and alone. His owner’s Presence was his soul’s deepest desire.

 Just like the Hero of this story, I have a signature too! It’s not scrawled with crayon on the bottom of my shoe, but written deliberately, indelibly, and eternally, in blood. My Owner has declared that I have been “Purchased with a Purpose” by giving me the Family Name “Christian”. I am not my own, I’ve been bought with a price, the precious blood of Christ. I am His and He is mine and His banner over me is LOVE! 

 From Scripture References:

1Cor 6:19b-20a You are not your own; you were bought with a price.

1Pet 1:18 -19 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.

 Reflective Thoughts:

•  How secure am I in my true Identity? Why?
• Have I ever felt like my identity has been “Painted over”? What were the circumstances? Have I recovered? If so, how did I recover?
• Do I understand the “Authority” I have been given by having the Name that is above all names available to me as family?
• Am I “Ragdoll” flexible to my Master’s will? Why or why not?
• Am I distracted by everything else going on in the Toy Box of life or is my focus on the Presence of my Master?
• Do I know my Purpose? The purpose I was purchased for?
• Some Purposes that come to mind are:

My Prayer for today:

A song to contemplate the depths of God's Love for me!  Link to Song Page