My friends tease me when I use big words, but, hey, I’m an English teacher, and we do that sometimes. Full disclosure—today is one of those times. I want to share two big words I believe define my responsibility as a teacher. When you read them, you may think, “Those are Greek to me,” and you’ll be right! They’re both Greek words: Telos and Dikaiosune. Now, let me explain why I think they’re so important.

Telos is a word often heard within the world of philosophy. Telos means “end purpose or goal.” It’s basically “the end in mind.” It’s always good to know what your goal is in any endeavor; you wouldn’t want to waste your time doing something without knowing why you’re doing it. I know you’ll agree with me that if there ever was an “end in mind” we really want to understand, it’s regarding a child’s growth and development.

Dikaiosune is the pivotal word Jesus uses in one of the most well-known verses in the Sermon on the Mount. At the high point of the Sermon, Jesus explains the “righteousness” he has in mind isn’t what the religious teachers of the day were teaching it to be: a list of religious do’s and don’ts. Jesus makes clear that true righteousness goes beyond following rules when he says, “For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20). The Greek word Jesus uses there for “righteousness” is Dikaiosone. It refers to “justice, righteousness, justness with its source in God.” Another way to put it, Jesus is calling us to “true, inner goodness.” His end goal then—his telos—is transformation of the human heart, not external conformity to rules or laws.

Here’s my point:

Since Jesus’ end in mind is true, inner goodness, my goal is also to help teach, guide, shape, and promote the same goodness in every student with whom I interact.

Yes, I teach children about ancient cultures, and we read their ancient works, but children could get thorough training in such things at any quality liberal arts school. The goal of my time with my students is to help them develop the true, inner goodness Jesus teaches. Increasingly, I see myself as a facilitator of their hearts and lives before God.

As an example of what I mean, consider Jesus’ comments to the Pharisees in Luke 11. He reprimands them for only cleaning the outside of the cup and explains if they washed the inside, the outside would be cleaned as well. We can apply the same to the classroom. If my focus as a teacher is to actually shape a child’s soul by using the things I teach, will they not be both improved on the inside and have the information they need? May we never lose sight of the inner transformation by overemphasizing the facts—the grade. 

Facts and information are powerful—just look at the success of Google. And, sure, strong academics make a good college more accessible. But I’m increasingly convinced that who we are becoming in our inner being is the most important thing of all; when our lives have run their courses here, our gift to God (and to ourselves) will be the person we’ve become. I believe the goal of facts and academics is to produce strong, humble minds with souls of light, grace, and truth prepared to go into the world as servants of others and our God.

One final thought. As you have likely guessed, what I’m describing can’t only happen in the classroom to be completely successful in a child’s heart. It must spill over into athletics and fine arts. And, of course, it must be practiced in the home. Each of us must purposefully include it in our times together as a community, whether at school, social gatherings, or at home as individual families. Transformation of the human heart is not a one-time event or semester project. Due to sin and the heart’s wickedness, the work of plowing the human heart is an ongoing, life-long journey.

Gratefully, we don’t do this beautiful and important work alone, nor in our own strength, but by the grace and power of God who loved us and sent Jesus to die for us. To Him be all honor…

The telos is dikaiosune.

The end in mind is true, inner goodness.