Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:08):
Schalem. I'm from here in the Holy Land. Welcome to
Conversations with Yea l.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Podcast.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
I'm your host, Yea L. E Stem, President and CEO
of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. Each month,
I will invite leading thought leaders, pastors, rabbis, and other
influential guests to discuss the importance of Israel in the
world today. For those familiar with my weekly podcast Nourish
(00:35):
Your Biblical Roots, which explores the Jewish roots of the
Christian faith, this podcast takes that understanding and translates it
into ongoing support for Israel among Christians and the critical
need to nurture that support with the next generation of Christians.
Join me now as we begin this important dialogue. Doctor
(01:04):
Martin Luther King, Junior dedicated his life to fighting for
justice and fighting against racism and injustice wherever it existed.
For me, the memory of this great man conjures up
a famous photograph which was taken in nineteen sixty seven
during a civil rights protest in Montgomery, Alabama, where Doctor
(01:25):
King is flanked by Rabbi embracing a tourist scroll on
one side and Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel a key partner
in the civil rights movement. On the other there's no
better image which underscores the bond between all Bible believers
and the necessity to stand together for our common beliefs.
(01:46):
And so with this in mind, I am greatly honored
and privileged to welcome to the podcast the niece of
this great man and a champion and hero in her
own right of her uncle's legacy, Doctor Elveda King, Doctor King,
welcome to our podcast.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
Well, hello, ya yea, and it's good to speak with
you this time of year and then always and God
bless you. How'll go things with you?
Speaker 1 (02:11):
Amen? Thank you so much. Yes, this holiday season is
definitely different than others, but I think even within the darkness,
for people of faith, we can see the light and
bring the light within it.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
I did a blog for Christmas or for the holiday season.
Of course, we have Hana Kwansa Christmas, and I tell people,
when you love the Lord, when you love God, then
we should be able to commune and communicate. And so
it's very very important. But I actually did a message
(02:44):
recently and I started out this way. I said, hello everyone,
Is it my imagination or are people more generous this year.
In spite of dismal reports, there is definitely a God
awareness in the atmosphere, and I'm finding people are a
little more cordial, a little more sensitive. There's a lot
(03:06):
going on, but we overcome evil with good. Amen.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
Amen, I connect to that so much. And for a
woman who speaks so connected to the average person, Doctor King,
you have a very impressive resume. I'm going to go
through it just for a second. You're a former college professor,
you served in the Georgia State House of Representatives. You're
a former presidential appointee and a twenty twenty one recipient
(03:31):
of the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award. In addition, you've been
named chair of the Center for the American Dream at
the American First Policy Institute. And if that wasn't enough,
you recently launched your own ministry, Speak for Life, fighting
for the sanctity and dignity of all life from the
womb to the tomb. You are a powerhouse, my friend.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
And you are too, and I really appreciate and regard
your work, and it's so very important that we all
use our giftings and talents to make the world a
better place to reach others into love others. So I'm
seventy years old, so I've had a long time to
amass these gifts and talents, and i know they are
(04:15):
from God, and I'm just very grateful to be alive
to use them.
Speaker 1 (04:19):
Now, that's just yeah, yes, yes, So I know that
you have many people who have influenced you. And as
they always say, in the context of the wow, godly,
amazing historic family that you come from, you have developed
your own voice. You have established yourself and your leadership
and your own right. But let's start a little bit
(04:42):
in the beginning. I would love to know, doctor King,
how your path in life was influenced by your father,
the Reverend A. D. King, and your uncle, both of
whom you were deeply involved in the civil rights movement.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
Well, I will talk about my father, Reverend A. D. King,
Alfred Daniel Williams King, uncle M. L. Martin Luther King, Jr.
And my grandfather, Reverend Martin Luther King Senior. I was
born in nineteen fifty one, on January twenty second, and
my parents were college students and they weren't ready to
be parents. My mother wasn't, my daddy was okay with it.
(05:16):
Ad King was fine with it. However, my grandfather said
to both of them, that's a little girl. I saw
her in a dream three years ago. You're going to
have this baby. And so I was rescued in nineteen
fifty and born on January twenty second. And all of
these years later, after going through the Civil rights movement,
(05:38):
and when my uncle mL Martin Luther King Jr. Was killed,
I wanted to hate white people. And I said that
to my daddy. My dad was grieving and he was
about to take Uncle Emel's wife Coretta, to get the
body and all that. But he put his arms around me,
and he wrapped me in his arms, and he said,
el vida, you can't hate white people. White people pray
(05:58):
with us, white people go to jail with us, white
people march with us, cry with us, live with us,
and die with us. Skin color cannot determine what we
are as humans. And so Martin Luther King Julia, of course,
we said. I learned to live together as brothers. I
had his sisters, or perish together as fools. He wanted
(06:20):
his children to be judged by the continent of their character,
not the color of their skin. A beautiful woman, an entertainer,
during her time and all of that, and a lot
of people knew her. Josephine Baker was in tod that
there is no race, separate race, only the human race.
(06:41):
And so I was brought up by Daddy, granddaddy, uncle,
and mel all the people in my family know that
regardless of skin color, we are one race and we
must work together for human dignity. And that's whether we
are in Israel, the United States, anywhere on this planet.
The human race must learn to come together as brothers
(07:03):
and sisters and not parish together as foods.
Speaker 1 (07:07):
My whole body is chills right now. And that's kind
of what happens when I hear like a truth for
the first time said in a way that I've never
heard it before. Because what you're speaking sounds like the
word of God, my friend. That's why we are here.
We're here to stand together. He named Matovu my name, Schebta.
(07:30):
How good and pleasant it is when brethren dwell together.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
That's it.
Speaker 1 (07:33):
It's it's you and your family bringing this to life
within all the injustice, with all of the all, within
all the hatred that man has created, not God. You're
bringing it back to this place of love of purity
of unity, of having this life in order to bring
us together.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
But in the rest of the scripture, and it says
it's like the oil flowing down Aaron's beard, and people
will read that and we'll quote that. Now our vent
to Israel, and I've seen the vats and how the
olive oil was made and all of that, recognizing how
precious oil was, especially olive oil, and so making that
(08:16):
point of this unity that's coming together being more precious
or as precious, are more precious than that oil that
they used to care for their bodies and their well being.
And so I just I begin to think about human dignity,
human love and seeing each other as as humans. And
(08:39):
some things we value as precious, certainly diamonds and gold
and silver and oils and export, you know, things that
are imported. But the most precious thing we have is
to begin to learn to love each other as human beings. Amen.
Speaker 1 (08:58):
It's so powerful. And that example of olive oil and
in Israel and the olive press, and it was the
most precious, it was one of the most precious items
in It was needed in the temple service because you
needed the menora to always be lit. You needed that
pure olive oil, and so it's very you know, one
of my favorite teachings on Khanaka is that we celebrate
(09:20):
it for eight days. But because it took eight days
from the time the temple was defiled and the Maccabees
found the little jar of oil, it took eight days
until new olive oil was produced and brought to the
temple for the service.
Speaker 2 (09:36):
But the question was very important.
Speaker 1 (09:38):
Yeah, And the question is, though, why do we celebrate
eight days because there was enough oil for one day.
The first day wasn't a miracle, we should celebrate seven days.
And the answer is that the people had enough faith
to light it for that one day, even if they
knew it was going to go out. That God did miracle.
So I look at what you're continuing the legacy, and
(09:59):
I think, did your father, did your uncle? Did your
family know that today this vision of unity, this voice
of faith that's encouraging the world and the darkness? Did
they think that this would still be on Fox News
on every network you could imagine going out to the people.
(10:19):
Probably not. But it's the bravery of your ancestors that
they said, even if this doesn't continue, I'm going to
raise my voice, and you, doctor King, are continuing that.
So for me, that analogy of the olive oil, also
because it's the holiday season, of course, and also because
of Israel. But it's but it's you, my friend. It's
(10:41):
you taking something that should have only lasted one generation
or not even maybe only during the Civil Rights March,
and you and your family have continued to bring that message,
which is there's hope for the future, said the Lord, right,
that's each and every one of us.
Speaker 2 (10:59):
Well as you said, speak along those lines. I'm thinking
about Abraham, the saints of old, and they believed, yes,
they actually believe.
Speaker 1 (11:08):
Now.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
They couldn't see all these hundreds of thousands of years
later what it would be. But then I like to
believe that my father, my grandfather, my uncle, grandmama, all
of them who have already passed over and crossed over,
they may not have seen what we're seeing today. They
may certainly not our troubles either, but not our joys either.
(11:31):
But they believed. Therefore we can believe, and I tell
people all the time, it used to be in every generation.
The Bible says, teach this to your children and your
children's children, and teach it in every generation. I even
wrote a poem for generations to come and have drawn
pictures about it, have pictures drawn. However, I have discovered
(11:52):
now it's like we are in a time of acceleration.
So rather than along with teaching it in every generation,
and I'm doing that with grandchildren now, but every decade
we have to reteach truths. And if you wait three decades,
that's thirty years. And you go back and you try
to ask people do you remember when? They don't remember when.
(12:16):
So these truths now must be taught and demonstrated in
every decade. Amen.
Speaker 1 (12:24):
Amen, write it on your door posts, take it with
you wherever you go. That it's uh, it's it's the
way to keep it alive. And people always ask me,
how did the Jewish people survive for two thousand years
of exile, passing on this faith from one generation to
the next, and especially as they're being chased and persecuted
(12:44):
and kicked out of the country and burdened in gas chambers.
My grandfather's a Holocaust survivor from Germany. His whole family
was killed. How how do you continue passing on that faith?
And it's exactly what you said. It's because when you
live it and you are an example, then it naturally can.
Speaker 2 (13:01):
I may I share with you. It's a terrible something
I read when I was in Israel. I went to
a Holocaust museum, and that was a testimony of a
man there and all of the atrocities and all of
the horrible, horrible things that happened to them. And so
the man's shirt was threadbare, his shoes were disintegrating, his
(13:24):
shoe strings were just crumbling. But every day he'd take
a little of his drinking water, and that was very
little and sometimes not and he would take that and
freshen his face and his clothing. And the guard says,
you called him a name whatever, and what use is that?
(13:47):
And the man said, you could actually do anything you
can to my body and these outer things that you see,
but you cannot take my spirit. And I read that,
and many times I think about that when I'm going
through hard times, that particular testimony comes to mind to me,
and I think about him. I think about the Holocaust,
(14:09):
of course, and not to give any disservice to that
period of Holocaust, but at the time when Moses was born,
many many baby boys were killed at the time Christ
historically it was born the same kind of thing. So
there are times in history and now we live in
a time period today where since seventy three when Roe v. Wade,
(14:32):
millions of babies have been aborted. So with all of that,
we do know that there are time periods of man's
inhumanity to man, not recognizing human dignity. And the Jews
have been persecuted so much because God they carry the promise,
(14:52):
you know, So me understanding that, especially during this season.
And I'm very mindful of the faith of Abraham for example,
the strength of Queen Esther for example. There's so many
examples that we have. So it's very important when we
love each other, we know each other. We may have
(15:13):
cultural differences, we may have spiritual our spiritual foundations may
be different. But we are human beings living together in
the twenty first century on planet Earth. Yes, as one
human race.
Speaker 1 (15:29):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (15:30):
And whatever we can do to promote the goodness of God,
that's what we have to do.
Speaker 1 (15:36):
Amen, Amen, Doctor King. You speak with such conviction in
a way that you know you're not just saying it,
but you're living it. You have this deep in your
heart what I call the spiritual DNA. But I think
for so many of us people of faith, there's a
specific instance sometime, one or two stories or values of
(15:56):
our parents or grandparents that we can go back to
in childhood and say, this is what made me want
to keep the faith. I saw this, I heard this,
I remember this. Are there any of those stories or
characteristics or taking you back to a little kid living
in this historic time, this historic family. Are there any
(16:19):
stories you can share with us that put that deep
faith in your heart that now still sixty five years later,
is alive and kicking.
Speaker 2 (16:29):
I can remember my dad, rebend Ad King, standing on
a car in Birmingham, Alabama, after our home had been
bombed bombed. I think he had a megaphone at the time.
It's hard to remember that, but the people wanted to
riot and throw rocks and turn cars over. Everything out
home had been bombed. I remember Daddy standing on the
(16:52):
car saying, don't riot, don't hurt anyone. If you have
to hurt somebody, hit me. But I would rather you
go home and pray I and my family are safe.
I remember a quote that my uncle Martin Luther King Jr.
Would have and out of I think it's amos. Let
(17:12):
righteousness roll down like water injustice as a mighty stream.
I remember Daddy King, my grandfather, after all the tragedies
in our family, saying thank God for what we have left.
So those are just some of the memories that I have.
And as I grew through my younger years as an
adult and became very strong in the Lord after between
(17:34):
eighty three and eighty four, A voice for life, speaking
for life, my organizations Speak for Life dot org. You
can also find me at albetaking dot com. I just
and as as we started out, we discussed and I'm
sure you could give your own testimony of all your
giftings and talents and to be able to use them
(17:55):
in your lifetime to bless others. So every gift, it
would it be song or a book or a poem.
Or I cook on television. People albeit the King's house,
Well why are you cooking? You should be out saving babies.
I said, well, people have to eat it. So while
you watch these stir up this meal, I'm going to
tell you about why life is important at the same time,
(18:17):
So use your gifts and talents. Everybody says you have one,
and everybody may have one and some have more. Use
your faith. We all have a measure of faith, and
so faith, hope and love of what we need in
this time.
Speaker 1 (18:30):
There. Yeah, I love that, Doctor King, because I think
that it's also something in faith and something in all
the stories that you just shared, which I mean, I'm
gonna write them down and keep them on my office
on my wall for when I think life is tough,
for when I think there are hardships that are I'm
going through to keep those words going through my head
(18:51):
and in my heart, because wow, that's real strength in
the hardships to be able to turn to God in
the hardships, be able to see the good and the blameless.
And I think that as people of faith, one of
the one of the callings from God that I feel
is that there's no such thing as mundane.
Speaker 2 (19:08):
That even when.
Speaker 1 (19:09):
You're cooking, you're bringing holiness into that, you're bringing prayer
in that when you're with your children, it's no less
holy than when you're out changing the world. And you know,
doing good work when you're at the barber shop or
doing your nails in every opportunity is a new way
to connect to God. And so when we have that perspective,
(19:30):
some somehow life isn't mundane. There isn't this separation between Okay,
now I'm in church and now I'm at home. Now
I'm in synagogue, now I'm at home. No, no, no,
God wants to follow you wherever you go. So I
think that's uh. I think that's amazing. I know you
are a very busy woman. I'm going to ask you
(19:51):
two more questions that I would feel so blessed for
you to answer. I know that you played a key
role in getting that Martin Luther King Junior Day past
as a national holiday, and I'm sure that wasn't easy,
and I'm sure that it was a long road, and
that God was with you and on your heart that
whole time. Could you share with me what that process
(20:12):
looked like and what it feels like to have succeeded.
Speaker 2 (20:16):
I traveled around the country a little bit. I was
a state legislator between nineteen seventy eight and eighty three.
I was a co author, co sponsor of the holiday
bill in Georgia Martin King Holiday. So just going around
talking to people and getting people. I remember being in
tears in the office of the Speaker of House of Georgia,
Tom Murphy, and he was not inclined to let the
(20:39):
bill come to the floor, and I was frying. I
remember him saying, miss Albid, if you stop crying, we'll
let the bill come up. I was very young, of course,
at the tap been very frustrated. So God was very
good during those times, so that Martin Luther King Bill
had to be ratified of passing the States before it
became the United States, the law of the United States.
(21:00):
So that was an incredible experience for me very I
just remember it and I say that with God, all
things are possible.
Speaker 1 (21:10):
Hey man, everything is possible with God. And what brings
you hope today, my friend.
Speaker 2 (21:15):
I hope today. I think about my grandfather, Daddy King.
He was a great influence in my life, and I
had him even longer than I had my dad. In
my off course, my mother is ninety, she's still here,
and mother says we have to heal on our feet
and not to be bitter and to forgive. So that's
the King family legacy that doesn't just belong to Martin
Luther King, Jr. But my granddaddy was a preacher, wonderful preacher,
(21:40):
and I'm going to take time to give you two
of his quick sermons meant thank you very shortly. And
so there was a doctor who served the community and
everybody loved him. He had a little shinkle over his door,
and one day they came and the shingle was turned
over or taken down or whatever. And well it was
(22:01):
turning over and it said, still in business. Just moved upstairs.
So I like to feel that by ancestors and those
who have gone before me are still in business praying
for me. They just moved upstairs. And then there's another
My daddy would say, a d king. People are so
busy making a living that they forget to have a life.
(22:24):
So Daddy would say that that was supportant. And then
this is the last word. Granddaddy would say this. He said,
I used to cry because I had no shoes. Then
I met a man who had no feet, and so
when I Philly starved for myself, I wanted something or thinking.
And the children say that all the time. God is
very gracious to us. And there are people who are
(22:47):
suffering for various reasons. And my ministry ilbeking dot com
we just packed food for Haiti Wowo to Hati, for example,
And during various times of the year we can tribute
to help others, my home and this last poet we
were are refreshing by home, my kidching it things, So
(23:08):
I need to get rid of some things. So I
have to leave the room while they're packing up things
to give away because I keep wanting to go back.
Speaker 1 (23:15):
And all the memories.
Speaker 2 (23:18):
No, no, we can let no go. My daughters, if
I got children, I love that.
Speaker 1 (23:26):
I love that.
Speaker 2 (23:27):
Season letting some things go and giving glory to God. Amen.
Speaker 1 (23:33):
I once heard a beautiful, a beautiful teaching that what's
freedom of choice in this life? You have the choice
to look at everything as negative or positive, as a
blessing or a curse. Reality God is going to send
how you relate to that is your decision and your freedom.
And that's exactly what I heard. That you and your
family have chosen a legacy of seeing the blessings, of
(23:54):
seeing the life, of seeing the Godliness no matter what
situation you're in. Finally, as we close this conversation, doctor King,
which I could talk to you forever, but I know
how busy you are and how much the same.
Speaker 2 (24:07):
Here with you.
Speaker 1 (24:10):
I'd love to hear a Bible verse that has been
your go to verse in life.
Speaker 2 (24:17):
I'll have to give you too. My grandfather used this one,
and when I was young, I didn't understand it. I
have been young and now I am old. Yet I
have never seen the righteous forsaken, nor their seed bagging bread.
Then the other is Some one twenty seven, the whole scripture,
and I won't pull all of it. But unless the
(24:40):
lawyer builds the house, the builders are the workers build
in vain. The scripture starts in that manner, and then
it goes on to say children are a gift from God,
and the less of the parents bring in that siege.
You know. So Psalm one twenty seven is one of
my favorite scriptures.
Speaker 1 (25:00):
Beautiful, doctor King, both of those I love as well.
So I know you already said a few times, but
if you would say one more time, how our listeners
can find you directly and follow your amazing work.
Speaker 2 (25:14):
Speak for this s P E A K F O
R life dot org and A L V E D
A K I N G dot.
Speaker 1 (25:23):
Thank you so much, Doctor King. I look forward to
giving you a hug in person in Jerusalem.
Speaker 2 (25:28):
Soon what it these days? Soon? Thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (25:32):
God, Bless God, Bless you, God, bless you, my friend.
Thank you, Thank you for listening to the Conversations with
Ya L podcast. If you like what you have heard,
please check out my weekly podcast, Nourish Your Biblical Roots,
that explores the Jewish roots of the Christian Faith with
inspirational and ancient teachings. You can also visit me at
(25:55):
my Biblical roots dot org for more of my teachings, videos, blogs,
and books. Follow me on Instagram at Yea L Underscore
Xtein or on Facebook at Yea L.
Speaker 2 (26:06):
Xtein.
Speaker 1 (26:07):
Shall home and see you next month.
Schalem. I'm from here in the Holy Land. Welcome to
Conversations with Yea l.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Podcast.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
I'm your host, Yea L. E Stem, President and CEO
of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. Each month,
I will invite leading thought leaders, pastors, rabbis, and other
influential guests to discuss the importance of Israel in the
world today. For those familiar with my weekly podcast Nourish
(00:35):
Your Biblical Roots, which explores the Jewish roots of the
Christian faith, this podcast takes that understanding and translates it
into ongoing support for Israel among Christians and the critical
need to nurture that support with the next generation of Christians.
Join me now as we begin this important dialogue. Doctor
(01:04):
Martin Luther King, Junior dedicated his life to fighting for
justice and fighting against racism and injustice wherever it existed.
For me, the memory of this great man conjures up
a famous photograph which was taken in nineteen sixty seven
during a civil rights protest in Montgomery, Alabama, where Doctor
(01:25):
King is flanked by Rabbi embracing a tourist scroll on
one side and Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel a key partner
in the civil rights movement. On the other there's no
better image which underscores the bond between all Bible believers
and the necessity to stand together for our common beliefs.
(01:46):
And so with this in mind, I am greatly honored
and privileged to welcome to the podcast the niece of
this great man and a champion and hero in her
own right of her uncle's legacy, Doctor Elveda King, Doctor King,
welcome to our podcast.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
Well, hello, ya yea, and it's good to speak with
you this time of year and then always and God
bless you. How'll go things with you?
Speaker 1 (02:11):
Amen? Thank you so much. Yes, this holiday season is
definitely different than others, but I think even within the darkness,
for people of faith, we can see the light and
bring the light within it.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
I did a blog for Christmas or for the holiday season.
Of course, we have Hana Kwansa Christmas, and I tell people,
when you love the Lord, when you love God, then
we should be able to commune and communicate. And so
it's very very important. But I actually did a message
(02:44):
recently and I started out this way. I said, hello everyone,
Is it my imagination or are people more generous this year.
In spite of dismal reports, there is definitely a God
awareness in the atmosphere, and I'm finding people are a
little more cordial, a little more sensitive. There's a lot
(03:06):
going on, but we overcome evil with good. Amen.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
Amen, I connect to that so much. And for a
woman who speaks so connected to the average person, Doctor King,
you have a very impressive resume. I'm going to go
through it just for a second. You're a former college professor,
you served in the Georgia State House of Representatives. You're
a former presidential appointee and a twenty twenty one recipient
(03:31):
of the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award. In addition, you've been
named chair of the Center for the American Dream at
the American First Policy Institute. And if that wasn't enough,
you recently launched your own ministry, Speak for Life, fighting
for the sanctity and dignity of all life from the
womb to the tomb. You are a powerhouse, my friend.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
And you are too, and I really appreciate and regard
your work, and it's so very important that we all
use our giftings and talents to make the world a
better place to reach others into love others. So I'm
seventy years old, so I've had a long time to
amass these gifts and talents, and i know they are
(04:15):
from God, and I'm just very grateful to be alive
to use them.
Speaker 1 (04:19):
Now, that's just yeah, yes, yes, So I know that
you have many people who have influenced you. And as
they always say, in the context of the wow, godly,
amazing historic family that you come from, you have developed
your own voice. You have established yourself and your leadership
and your own right. But let's start a little bit
(04:42):
in the beginning. I would love to know, doctor King,
how your path in life was influenced by your father,
the Reverend A. D. King, and your uncle, both of
whom you were deeply involved in the civil rights movement.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
Well, I will talk about my father, Reverend A. D. King,
Alfred Daniel Williams King, uncle M. L. Martin Luther King, Jr.
And my grandfather, Reverend Martin Luther King Senior. I was
born in nineteen fifty one, on January twenty second, and
my parents were college students and they weren't ready to
be parents. My mother wasn't, my daddy was okay with it.
(05:16):
Ad King was fine with it. However, my grandfather said
to both of them, that's a little girl. I saw
her in a dream three years ago. You're going to
have this baby. And so I was rescued in nineteen
fifty and born on January twenty second. And all of
these years later, after going through the Civil rights movement,
(05:38):
and when my uncle mL Martin Luther King Jr. Was killed,
I wanted to hate white people. And I said that
to my daddy. My dad was grieving and he was
about to take Uncle Emel's wife Coretta, to get the
body and all that. But he put his arms around me,
and he wrapped me in his arms, and he said,
el vida, you can't hate white people. White people pray
(05:58):
with us, white people go to jail with us, white
people march with us, cry with us, live with us,
and die with us. Skin color cannot determine what we
are as humans. And so Martin Luther King Julia, of course,
we said. I learned to live together as brothers. I
had his sisters, or perish together as fools. He wanted
(06:20):
his children to be judged by the continent of their character,
not the color of their skin. A beautiful woman, an entertainer,
during her time and all of that, and a lot
of people knew her. Josephine Baker was in tod that
there is no race, separate race, only the human race.
(06:41):
And so I was brought up by Daddy, granddaddy, uncle,
and mel all the people in my family know that
regardless of skin color, we are one race and we
must work together for human dignity. And that's whether we
are in Israel, the United States, anywhere on this planet.
The human race must learn to come together as brothers
(07:03):
and sisters and not parish together as foods.
Speaker 1 (07:07):
My whole body is chills right now. And that's kind
of what happens when I hear like a truth for
the first time said in a way that I've never
heard it before. Because what you're speaking sounds like the
word of God, my friend. That's why we are here.
We're here to stand together. He named Matovu my name, Schebta.
(07:30):
How good and pleasant it is when brethren dwell together.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
That's it.
Speaker 1 (07:33):
It's it's you and your family bringing this to life
within all the injustice, with all of the all, within
all the hatred that man has created, not God. You're
bringing it back to this place of love of purity
of unity, of having this life in order to bring
us together.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
But in the rest of the scripture, and it says
it's like the oil flowing down Aaron's beard, and people
will read that and we'll quote that. Now our vent
to Israel, and I've seen the vats and how the
olive oil was made and all of that, recognizing how
precious oil was, especially olive oil, and so making that
(08:16):
point of this unity that's coming together being more precious
or as precious, are more precious than that oil that
they used to care for their bodies and their well being.
And so I just I begin to think about human dignity,
human love and seeing each other as as humans. And
(08:39):
some things we value as precious, certainly diamonds and gold
and silver and oils and export, you know, things that
are imported. But the most precious thing we have is
to begin to learn to love each other as human beings. Amen.
Speaker 1 (08:58):
It's so powerful. And that example of olive oil and
in Israel and the olive press, and it was the
most precious, it was one of the most precious items
in It was needed in the temple service because you
needed the menora to always be lit. You needed that
pure olive oil, and so it's very you know, one
of my favorite teachings on Khanaka is that we celebrate
(09:20):
it for eight days. But because it took eight days
from the time the temple was defiled and the Maccabees
found the little jar of oil, it took eight days
until new olive oil was produced and brought to the
temple for the service.
Speaker 2 (09:36):
But the question was very important.
Speaker 1 (09:38):
Yeah, And the question is, though, why do we celebrate
eight days because there was enough oil for one day.
The first day wasn't a miracle, we should celebrate seven days.
And the answer is that the people had enough faith
to light it for that one day, even if they
knew it was going to go out. That God did miracle.
So I look at what you're continuing the legacy, and
(09:59):
I think, did your father, did your uncle? Did your
family know that today this vision of unity, this voice
of faith that's encouraging the world and the darkness? Did
they think that this would still be on Fox News
on every network you could imagine going out to the people.
(10:19):
Probably not. But it's the bravery of your ancestors that
they said, even if this doesn't continue, I'm going to
raise my voice, and you, doctor King, are continuing that.
So for me, that analogy of the olive oil, also
because it's the holiday season, of course, and also because
of Israel. But it's but it's you, my friend. It's
(10:41):
you taking something that should have only lasted one generation
or not even maybe only during the Civil Rights March,
and you and your family have continued to bring that message,
which is there's hope for the future, said the Lord, right,
that's each and every one of us.
Speaker 2 (10:59):
Well as you said, speak along those lines. I'm thinking
about Abraham, the saints of old, and they believed, yes,
they actually believe.
Speaker 1 (11:08):
Now.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
They couldn't see all these hundreds of thousands of years
later what it would be. But then I like to
believe that my father, my grandfather, my uncle, grandmama, all
of them who have already passed over and crossed over,
they may not have seen what we're seeing today. They
may certainly not our troubles either, but not our joys either.
(11:31):
But they believed. Therefore we can believe, and I tell
people all the time, it used to be in every generation.
The Bible says, teach this to your children and your
children's children, and teach it in every generation. I even
wrote a poem for generations to come and have drawn
pictures about it, have pictures drawn. However, I have discovered
(11:52):
now it's like we are in a time of acceleration.
So rather than along with teaching it in every generation,
and I'm doing that with grandchildren now, but every decade
we have to reteach truths. And if you wait three decades,
that's thirty years. And you go back and you try
to ask people do you remember when? They don't remember when.
(12:16):
So these truths now must be taught and demonstrated in
every decade. Amen.
Speaker 1 (12:24):
Amen, write it on your door posts, take it with
you wherever you go. That it's uh, it's it's the
way to keep it alive. And people always ask me,
how did the Jewish people survive for two thousand years
of exile, passing on this faith from one generation to
the next, and especially as they're being chased and persecuted
(12:44):
and kicked out of the country and burdened in gas chambers.
My grandfather's a Holocaust survivor from Germany. His whole family
was killed. How how do you continue passing on that faith?
And it's exactly what you said. It's because when you
live it and you are an example, then it naturally can.
Speaker 2 (13:01):
I may I share with you. It's a terrible something
I read when I was in Israel. I went to
a Holocaust museum, and that was a testimony of a
man there and all of the atrocities and all of
the horrible, horrible things that happened to them. And so
the man's shirt was threadbare, his shoes were disintegrating, his
(13:24):
shoe strings were just crumbling. But every day he'd take
a little of his drinking water, and that was very
little and sometimes not and he would take that and
freshen his face and his clothing. And the guard says,
you called him a name whatever, and what use is that?
(13:47):
And the man said, you could actually do anything you
can to my body and these outer things that you see,
but you cannot take my spirit. And I read that,
and many times I think about that when I'm going
through hard times, that particular testimony comes to mind to me,
and I think about him. I think about the Holocaust,
(14:09):
of course, and not to give any disservice to that
period of Holocaust, but at the time when Moses was born,
many many baby boys were killed at the time Christ
historically it was born the same kind of thing. So
there are times in history and now we live in
a time period today where since seventy three when Roe v. Wade,
(14:32):
millions of babies have been aborted. So with all of that,
we do know that there are time periods of man's
inhumanity to man, not recognizing human dignity. And the Jews
have been persecuted so much because God they carry the promise,
(14:52):
you know, So me understanding that, especially during this season.
And I'm very mindful of the faith of Abraham for example,
the strength of Queen Esther for example. There's so many
examples that we have. So it's very important when we
love each other, we know each other. We may have
(15:13):
cultural differences, we may have spiritual our spiritual foundations may
be different. But we are human beings living together in
the twenty first century on planet Earth. Yes, as one
human race.
Speaker 1 (15:29):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (15:30):
And whatever we can do to promote the goodness of God,
that's what we have to do.
Speaker 1 (15:36):
Amen, Amen, Doctor King. You speak with such conviction in
a way that you know you're not just saying it,
but you're living it. You have this deep in your
heart what I call the spiritual DNA. But I think
for so many of us people of faith, there's a
specific instance sometime, one or two stories or values of
(15:56):
our parents or grandparents that we can go back to
in childhood and say, this is what made me want
to keep the faith. I saw this, I heard this,
I remember this. Are there any of those stories or
characteristics or taking you back to a little kid living
in this historic time, this historic family. Are there any
(16:19):
stories you can share with us that put that deep
faith in your heart that now still sixty five years later,
is alive and kicking.
Speaker 2 (16:29):
I can remember my dad, rebend Ad King, standing on
a car in Birmingham, Alabama, after our home had been
bombed bombed. I think he had a megaphone at the time.
It's hard to remember that, but the people wanted to
riot and throw rocks and turn cars over. Everything out
home had been bombed. I remember Daddy standing on the
(16:52):
car saying, don't riot, don't hurt anyone. If you have
to hurt somebody, hit me. But I would rather you
go home and pray I and my family are safe.
I remember a quote that my uncle Martin Luther King Jr.
Would have and out of I think it's amos. Let
(17:12):
righteousness roll down like water injustice as a mighty stream.
I remember Daddy King, my grandfather, after all the tragedies
in our family, saying thank God for what we have left.
So those are just some of the memories that I have.
And as I grew through my younger years as an
adult and became very strong in the Lord after between
(17:34):
eighty three and eighty four, A voice for life, speaking
for life, my organizations Speak for Life dot org. You
can also find me at albetaking dot com. I just
and as as we started out, we discussed and I'm
sure you could give your own testimony of all your
giftings and talents and to be able to use them
(17:55):
in your lifetime to bless others. So every gift, it
would it be song or a book or a poem.
Or I cook on television. People albeit the King's house,
Well why are you cooking? You should be out saving babies.
I said, well, people have to eat it. So while
you watch these stir up this meal, I'm going to
tell you about why life is important at the same time,
(18:17):
So use your gifts and talents. Everybody says you have one,
and everybody may have one and some have more. Use
your faith. We all have a measure of faith, and
so faith, hope and love of what we need in
this time.
Speaker 1 (18:30):
There. Yeah, I love that, Doctor King, because I think
that it's also something in faith and something in all
the stories that you just shared, which I mean, I'm
gonna write them down and keep them on my office
on my wall for when I think life is tough,
for when I think there are hardships that are I'm
going through to keep those words going through my head
(18:51):
and in my heart, because wow, that's real strength in
the hardships to be able to turn to God in
the hardships, be able to see the good and the blameless.
And I think that as people of faith, one of
the one of the callings from God that I feel
is that there's no such thing as mundane.
Speaker 2 (19:08):
That even when.
Speaker 1 (19:09):
You're cooking, you're bringing holiness into that, you're bringing prayer
in that when you're with your children, it's no less
holy than when you're out changing the world. And you know,
doing good work when you're at the barber shop or
doing your nails in every opportunity is a new way
to connect to God. And so when we have that perspective,
(19:30):
some somehow life isn't mundane. There isn't this separation between Okay,
now I'm in church and now I'm at home. Now
I'm in synagogue, now I'm at home. No, no, no,
God wants to follow you wherever you go. So I
think that's uh. I think that's amazing. I know you
are a very busy woman. I'm going to ask you
(19:51):
two more questions that I would feel so blessed for
you to answer. I know that you played a key
role in getting that Martin Luther King Junior Day past
as a national holiday, and I'm sure that wasn't easy,
and I'm sure that it was a long road, and
that God was with you and on your heart that
whole time. Could you share with me what that process
(20:12):
looked like and what it feels like to have succeeded.
Speaker 2 (20:16):
I traveled around the country a little bit. I was
a state legislator between nineteen seventy eight and eighty three.
I was a co author, co sponsor of the holiday
bill in Georgia Martin King Holiday. So just going around
talking to people and getting people. I remember being in
tears in the office of the Speaker of House of Georgia,
Tom Murphy, and he was not inclined to let the
(20:39):
bill come to the floor, and I was frying. I
remember him saying, miss Albid, if you stop crying, we'll
let the bill come up. I was very young, of course,
at the tap been very frustrated. So God was very
good during those times, so that Martin Luther King Bill
had to be ratified of passing the States before it
became the United States, the law of the United States.
(21:00):
So that was an incredible experience for me very I
just remember it and I say that with God, all
things are possible.
Speaker 1 (21:10):
Hey man, everything is possible with God. And what brings
you hope today, my friend.
Speaker 2 (21:15):
I hope today. I think about my grandfather, Daddy King.
He was a great influence in my life, and I
had him even longer than I had my dad. In
my off course, my mother is ninety, she's still here,
and mother says we have to heal on our feet
and not to be bitter and to forgive. So that's
the King family legacy that doesn't just belong to Martin
Luther King, Jr. But my granddaddy was a preacher, wonderful preacher,
(21:40):
and I'm going to take time to give you two
of his quick sermons meant thank you very shortly. And
so there was a doctor who served the community and
everybody loved him. He had a little shinkle over his door,
and one day they came and the shingle was turned
over or taken down or whatever. And well it was
(22:01):
turning over and it said, still in business. Just moved upstairs.
So I like to feel that by ancestors and those
who have gone before me are still in business praying
for me. They just moved upstairs. And then there's another
My daddy would say, a d king. People are so
busy making a living that they forget to have a life.
(22:24):
So Daddy would say that that was supportant. And then
this is the last word. Granddaddy would say this. He said,
I used to cry because I had no shoes. Then
I met a man who had no feet, and so
when I Philly starved for myself, I wanted something or thinking.
And the children say that all the time. God is
very gracious to us. And there are people who are
(22:47):
suffering for various reasons. And my ministry ilbeking dot com
we just packed food for Haiti Wowo to Hati, for example,
And during various times of the year we can tribute
to help others, my home and this last poet we
were are refreshing by home, my kidching it things, So
(23:08):
I need to get rid of some things. So I
have to leave the room while they're packing up things
to give away because I keep wanting to go back.
Speaker 1 (23:15):
And all the memories.
Speaker 2 (23:18):
No, no, we can let no go. My daughters, if
I got children, I love that.
Speaker 1 (23:26):
I love that.
Speaker 2 (23:27):
Season letting some things go and giving glory to God. Amen.
Speaker 1 (23:33):
I once heard a beautiful, a beautiful teaching that what's
freedom of choice in this life? You have the choice
to look at everything as negative or positive, as a
blessing or a curse. Reality God is going to send
how you relate to that is your decision and your freedom.
And that's exactly what I heard. That you and your
family have chosen a legacy of seeing the blessings, of
(23:54):
seeing the life, of seeing the Godliness no matter what
situation you're in. Finally, as we close this conversation, doctor King,
which I could talk to you forever, but I know
how busy you are and how much the same.
Speaker 2 (24:07):
Here with you.
Speaker 1 (24:10):
I'd love to hear a Bible verse that has been
your go to verse in life.
Speaker 2 (24:17):
I'll have to give you too. My grandfather used this one,
and when I was young, I didn't understand it. I
have been young and now I am old. Yet I
have never seen the righteous forsaken, nor their seed bagging bread.
Then the other is Some one twenty seven, the whole scripture,
and I won't pull all of it. But unless the
(24:40):
lawyer builds the house, the builders are the workers build
in vain. The scripture starts in that manner, and then
it goes on to say children are a gift from God,
and the less of the parents bring in that siege.
You know. So Psalm one twenty seven is one of
my favorite scriptures.
Speaker 1 (25:00):
Beautiful, doctor King, both of those I love as well.
So I know you already said a few times, but
if you would say one more time, how our listeners
can find you directly and follow your amazing work.
Speaker 2 (25:14):
Speak for this s P E A K F O
R life dot org and A L V E D
A K I N G dot.
Speaker 1 (25:23):
Thank you so much, Doctor King. I look forward to
giving you a hug in person in Jerusalem.
Speaker 2 (25:28):
Soon what it these days? Soon? Thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (25:32):
God, Bless God, Bless you, God, bless you, my friend.
Thank you, Thank you for listening to the Conversations with
Ya L podcast. If you like what you have heard,
please check out my weekly podcast, Nourish Your Biblical Roots,
that explores the Jewish roots of the Christian Faith with
inspirational and ancient teachings. You can also visit me at
(25:55):
my Biblical roots dot org for more of my teachings, videos, blogs,
and books. Follow me on Instagram at Yea L Underscore
Xtein or on Facebook at Yea L.
Speaker 2 (26:06):
Xtein.
Speaker 1 (26:07):
Shall home and see you next month.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!