Love, family, respect, friendship are some themes I see in this movie.

Those are there, David. But in Woody, there's another theme: Desperation. This is a character who is looking back at his life with a lot of regret, most of that suggested in subtext. I see the $1M as more than money. It's a sign to Woody that he did all right, the universe's way of 'blessing' the choices he made. I get the sense that nothing short of this type of grand prize could give him the level of... what... grace... to wipe away his 'sins' (I'm speaking metaphorically). So he's desperate. And desperate not to show his desperation. But David comes to see it. Which is why his 'sacrificial' act in the story's final act is so poignant.