I Went Antiquing in France...and God Taught Me This

One of my goals this year was to travel more. So, when I heard one of my friends was flying to France for antique shows, I absolutely asked if I could tag along.

Let me tell you what he does. He flies all the way to France, goes to these massive antique shows where people from all over bring furniture and pieces with insane history, buys what stands out and ships it back to the States. Like, that’s his thing. How cool is that?

So, of course, I went.

I had a few days to myself in Paris before we went antiquing, which I spent walking around, eating croissants, finding a quiet place to read my Bible and just taking it all in.

Then the antique show day came.

And let me tell you, antiquing in France is not casual. It is a sport.

We drive up in our rental car, and people are already lined up just to get in. I’m not kidding, there’s a whole crowd waiting at the entrance like it’s the start of a race—everyone’s holding cash and focused. You can feel the tension.

Then the announcer says, "Go!"

And it’s chaos.

People start rushing in. Running. Speed walking. Scanning tables like their life depends on it. Negotiating in rapid French. There are probably 500 people all doing the same thing. Euros in their pockets. Stickers in hand, so the second they buy something, they can slap their name on it and claim it.

And here’s the wild part. A lot of these pieces come from estate clear-outs. Someone passes away, their home is emptied and their furniture ends up under a tent, waiting for someone to see its value again. It sounds kind of intense. You’re basically buying a dead person’s stuff. But hey, it’s eco-friendly. And yes, I pray over anything before it enters my house.

Anyway, I’m standing there watching the pros take off down the aisles like it’s Black Friday, but make it French and historical. And I’m thinking, "Okay, do I just go out on my own?"

So I did.

I started running through the aisles looking for gold. And just like me, hundreds of other people were doing the same thing. Adrenaline pumping. Competition is kicking in. I had my euros in my pocket and my little claim stickers ready.

I ended up grabbing a few paintings, a blacksmith statue and two side tables. They just spoke to me. I saw something in them, and I claimed them.

And in the middle of all that chaos, something hit me.

I felt like the Lord whispered, "This is what I do."

“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” Luke 19:10

Seek. That word is active. Intentional. It’s not passive. It’s not God sitting back hoping you figure it out. It's a pursuit.

Like someone running aisle after aisle looking for something valuable.

In Luke 15, Jesus tells the story of a shepherd who leaves 99 sheep to go after one. One. That doesn’t make business sense. But love rarely does. And when he finds it, he rejoices and carries it home.

That’s pursuit.

Some of the antiques looked rough. Scratched. Dusty. A little worn down. But the experienced buyers weren’t scared of that. They saw craftsmanship. They saw history. They saw value.

And I couldn’t help but think about us.

“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

He didn’t wait for us to clean ourselves up. He didn’t wait for the rust to be gone. He paid the full price anyway.

“You were bought with a price.” 1 Corinthians 6:20

Not with silver. Not with gold. But with the precious blood of Jesus, 1 Peter 1:18-19.

Those pieces I bought aren’t staying under a tent in France. They’re being shipped home. Restored. Placed somewhere they’ll be valued.

Scripture says, “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” Ephesians 2:13

You are not forgotten inventory.

You are not abandoned under a canopy somewhere.

You are not too damaged or too far gone.

You are pursued.
Chosen.
Bought.
And brought home.

Sometimes we feel like that dusty piece sitting in a row of other broken things. But God is like the master historian. He knows the original design. He knows the worth. He knows what you were created for.

And He is not casually walking the aisles.

He is running them.

There is a God who hunts for you. And He was willing to pay everything to bring you home.

Reflection Questions:

1. Do you live like God is chasing after you, or like He’s disappointed and distant?
2. What “rust” have you believed disqualifies you from being fully loved by God?
3. If you truly believed you were bought at full price, how would that change the way you see yourself this week?

Photo Credit: Unsplash/John Price

Joe Navarro, known online as @joechristianguy, is a Christian content creator, entrepreneur, and cultural voice passionate about making faith approachable and impactful for the next generation. With over 4.5 million combined followers across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, Joe delivers bold, Gospel-centered truth through a mix of daily encouragement, short-form teachings, comedic skits, and authentic life experiences. His unique blend of theology, humor, and clarity has created space for millions of young believers and skeptics alike to engage with Scripture and real conversations about following Jesus in a digital world. In 2023, he co-created the popular card game Discernment alongside Jacob and Julia Petersen, which is now available in major retailers like Amazon, Walmart, Museum of the Bible, and Mardel. He also holds a degree in Agricultural Economics with a minor in Sales from Texas A&M.