July 2011

The King's Speech has proven to be one of the most imaginative and widely acclaimed films of recent times. Among the many themes the film explores is that of true friendship. There is a memorable line where Lionel Logue says to the Duke of York, later to be King George IV: 'What are friends for.' And to which comes back the reply; 'I wouldn't know.' What is so telling is the heart felt cry of the Duke. He had money, position wealth, servants, a plethora of advisors and attendees. What he lacked was a friend.

The Concise Oxford Dictionary defines a friend as: one joined to another in intimacy and mutual benevolence independently of sexual or family love. As the film graphically portrays the friendship that developed between Logue and the King was one that stood the test of time. It remained through the challenges and severe tests of a turbulent time. Indeed it weathered the storms of a royal temper and the eccentricities of an antipodean maverick. True friendship seeks to understand and accept the other. It also has the courage to challenge, rebuke and speak the truth even when painful. There is both an unconditional acceptance and brutal honesty in the face to face interactions of a true friendship. Friendship of this kind is a deep and priceless treasure.

'Friend' is in danger of becoming trivialised or at the least devalued in common usage. While recognising that social networking and virtual communications have their place, to call any and indeed all who interact on sites such as Facebook, friends is one such trivialisation. Indeed it reminds me in some ways of the philosophy graphically illustrated in George Orwell's novel 1984. In that novel by changing language and bombarding people through tele-screens, literature and the media not only was a new medium of expression provided but also a change in the way people thought. Language is shown to have power to communicate and on the darker side power to psychologically manipulate and control. Ours is not the world of Orwell's novel but the danger in trivialising language is real.

In a remarkable passage of St John's gospel (Jn 15: 14-15, NIV 1984) Jesus says to his disciples, 'Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends…'

Here true friendship is offered and a real friend who laid down his life for us. Here also is a friend who lovingly accepts us and who challenges us with a brutal honesty to be different. Here is a gift of life and friendship in order that we might become truly what God desires and in turn more truly ourselves. Are we ready for friendship with God?

+Alistair