The King's Speech

I, too, stutter. There are not too many things in life that I can say that I share with royalty. Now I have one. King George VI of England had a speech impediment and so do I. That is no surprise to anyone that has met me personally. But, as it is not an attribute that one proclaims in an online profile, I suppose it is surprising to many. The recently-released movie starring Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush has brought attention to the condition of speech impediments. The King’s Speech went to the top of my “Must See” list at the moment I heard a review on the day of its release in December. Normally that means I wait several months until its release on DVD or Netflix. This time Donna and I decided to see it in the theatre. It was well worth the cost, but that is not why you should see the movie. You should see the film because it is a moving story of determination in facing personal challenges.

The Internal Struggle

Clip: If we were equals, I wouldn't be here. I would be home with my wife and no one would give a damn."

How do you face struggles? Prince Albert (soon-to-be King George VI) fought with all his royal might to avoid dealing with his problem. Yet it was his sense of duty, his personal calling, and a loving wife that forced him out of his royal shell and into the office of a commoner to face his struggle and seek a solution. His cry, “If we were equals, I wouldn’t be here. I would be home with my wife and no one would give a damn,” points to a familiar bunker for those of us with public struggles. We seek a cave to hide in, an easy way out. We establish enough of an ordinary life-- a wife, a family, a job and a lifestyle that protects our secret—so we don’t have to face the issue. The comfortable life becomes our bunker, and there inside we try live our lives. Nobody gives a damn and we like that.

For many, life in the protective bunker works. But what happens when life beckons? Some call it fate; some, a calling. For others, it is a duty. It was Prince Albert’s sense of duty—to his family, to his country, to royalty itself—that caused him to face his struggle head on. In the film, the contrast with the way his brother faced his princely duty was striking. Older brother David – Prince of Wales and later King Edward VIII—chose personal comfort over duty and abdicated the throne. Albert on the other hand, sought a solution to his struggle well before he knew that he would someday be king. That makes the storyline of The King’s Speech inspirational.

My bunker was an engineering job. I was comfortably successful and happy at home with my wife and children. Then, the call came. What was I to do about it?  The call came from none other than God Himself and that is not an easy call to ignore. I imagine I could have hidden my call a lot easier than a Crown Prince of England could hide his, but still, it was a call. Does knowledge of the struggles we face cause us to ignore a call on our life? Sadly, I’m afraid that too often it does. Too many opportunities in life are lost because we choose to stay in our bunker and refuse to leave.

My calling was to enter into full-time missionary service. That meant public speaking, knocking on doors, learning a new language, meeting lots of new people. There were plenty of good reasons—excuses—to decline. No one would have blamed me for staying home with my wife. No one would have given a damn. Yet because I stepped out of my bunker and went through the open door laid before me, my life is richer in experiences I never would have otherwise enjoyed. And I have God, and my wife, to thank for moving me out.

The External Struggle

St. Edward's Chair
The King's Speech at MOVIECLIPS.com

If only overcoming the internal struggle would make the rest easy. One of the film’s many strong points is revealing the harsh reality of carrying out the difficult task of change. When the king is just hours away from his coronation, his frustration reaches a breaking point. “Listen to me!”, he shouts. His tutor’s response, “Listen to you? By what right?” touches the fundamental question for which many of those who struggle with stammering seek an answer. In other words, “Why should I waste my time listening to you?”

Why is it that those who are not fluent in their mannerisms-- not among the “beautiful people”-- need to give evidence of their right to be heard? There is a clear bias in our culture to promote those who can clearly articulate their ideas in public. Without exception, in my professional experience,  there came a point when every one of my employers asked me about my stuttering. Most wanted to understand it and help me be successful. There were a few notable exceptions, however. Christians ministries are far from exempt at pre-judging their own. By the time I had reached the mission field, I had already learned to ignore judgmental pastors and mission leaders, learn from the mature ones and follow the path God had laid out for me. A key to success for those who struggle with speech impediments centers on the correct answer to the question “Why should I listen to you.”  In the words of the King George character in “The King’s Speech,” the answer was poignant: “Because I have a voice!”.

It is time for the world to hear your voice. You have something important to say. King George VI knew his voice would cause a nation to succeed or fail in its ability to confidently face a foreign adversary. For those of us with less-than-kingly responsibilities, our voices, too, have something important to say. God has given each of us a uniqueness that deserves attention. No one else has your perspective nor your gifts. Take time out to watch “The King’s Speech” then let your voice be heard.


-Gregg Hanchett worked 10 years in the US paper industry and later served 12 years in Spain as a missionary. He currently lives in South Carolina, once again serving the paper industry. You can reach him at hanch6@gmail.com .