The King's Speech

Have you seen the film The King’s Speech staring Colin Firth yet? If not, and you get the chance, do go. It is an excellent film and is very moving. If you have not heard about the film, it is the story of how King George VI overcame a terrible stammer with the help of an unconventional speech Australian speech therapist Lionel Logue.

The film plays out against the story of Edward VIII’s abdication and the realisation that “Bertie” (the family’s name for George VI) would become King. With the increasing use of the wireless, and Bertie’s father George V having made broadcasts to the Empire, Bertie will need to learn to conquer the stammer that has been part of his life since he was a boy.

At times the film is very funny but there are some very moving scenes. And one in particular was very poignant where Bertie shouts out “I just wanted to be a naval officer not the King!”

But of course as we know, George VI went on to be King during a very difficult time for this country, though it is said the Queen Mother was always angry at the way her husband’s health was affected by having to become King.

This put me in mind of Shakespeare’s phrase “Some are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them.” For while George VI was born into the Royal Family, he never dreamed he would one day be King and would have to conquer his stammer in order to speak to his people.

But the scene in the film also put me in mind of some of the words of our Methodist Covenant service.*

Christ has many services to be done:
some are easy, others are difficult;
some bring honour, others bring reproach;
some are suitable to our natural inclinations and material interests,
others are contrary to both;
in some we may please Christ and please ourselves;
in others we cannot please Christ except by denying ourselves.
Yet the power to do all these things is given to us in Christ, who strengthens us.

We may not like our calling; we may feel uncomfortable with what we are called to do. God bless. We are called to serve a King who was not a King of this world. A King whose Kingdom is like no Kingdom of this world. The greatest King of all.

For more information on the Covenant service go to http://www.methodist.org.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=opentogod.content&cmid=1499