It’s been said that how you finish is more important than how you start. Such was the case with a man John mentions early in his gospel account.

In chapter 3, a Pharisee named Nicodemus is recorded as coming to Jesus at night seeking answers. He wasn’t sure about recent events and was trying to fit the pieces together. Incidentally, part of their conversation is one of the most quoted verses in the Bible;

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” – John 3:16 NKJV

Next, we find him in John 7:50 where he’s encouraging the Jewish leadership to reserve judgment concerning the Lord. He didn’t have the answers yet, but he knew something was happening inside of him. Sometimes that’s the beauty of the Holy Spirit’s work. You can’t articulate it, but you know He’s doing something.

Finally, we see how he finished. In John 19:39 he stepped forward and boldly helped take down the body of our Lord, anointed it with expensive oil, and assisted with burial. It would be three days before the resurrection would validate his faith, but in the meantime, Nicodemus was committed to honoring the Lord. He may have started out in the shadows, but he finished in the Light. How do you plan to finish?