I was downsizing and trying to find a home for some antiquated electronic equipment. Among the pile was an analog video camera. Long ago, I had converted all of my VHS tapes into digital media, and as far as I could tell, the camera had outlived its usefulness.

There was a camera shop near my home that advertised purchasing used audio and video equipment. I brought the camera in, expecting little interest. To my surprise, the owner greeted me enthusiastically.

“This is in excellent condition!”

He examined it carefully and offered me a generous amount of cash. I eagerly accepted, but I was puzzled.

“Who would want such an outdated camera?”

He smiled. “You’d be surprised. Gen Z kids love this stuff. They’re buying everything analog. They’re even buying things like old Polaroid cameras.”

I laughed. “Why?”

“They like to use these analog video cameras to film themselves skateboarding and hanging out with friends. They like the retro feel. It’s kind of a pushback against all this digital stuff.”

I walked out of the store shaking my head. For years, I had been donating old possessions because they seemed outdated and obsolete. Apparently, if I had enough patience—and enough storage space—some of those items might become valuable again. Things that one generation considered worthless were suddenly being sought after by another.

The whole experience made me think. There seems to be something deeply human about looking backward. Fashion trends return. Vinyl records make a comeback. Old movies find new audiences. Vintage furniture becomes desirable again. Even technology that was once discarded finds its way back into the hands of a younger generation. Perhaps it is because progress does not always satisfy us.

We live in a world that is constantly chasing the next update, the next device, the next trend, and the next breakthrough. We assume that newer automatically means better. Yet every generation eventually discovers that while technology can make life more convenient, it cannot answer life’s deepest questions. No smartphone can tell us why we are here. No social media platform can give lasting purpose. No artificial intelligence can reconcile us to God. No technological advancement can remove guilt, heal a broken heart, or conquer death. For all our progress, the deepest needs of the human soul remain unchanged.

That may be one reason why some people are drawn to older things. They remind us that not everything valuable is new. As Christians, we understand this principle better than anyone. The truths that have transformed lives for centuries are not new. They are ancient. The Bible was already old when many of the world’s greatest civilizations were young. Yet despite countless predictions of its demise, it remains. Empires have risen and fallen. Philosophies have come and gone. Scientific theories have been proposed and replaced. Cultures have changed dramatically. Yet God’s Word continues to speak with authority and relevance.

The prophet Isaiah wrote:

The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.
Isaiah 40:8 (ESV)

Unlike my old video camera, Scripture does not become valuable because it comes back into style. It remains valuable because it never goes out of style. The world constantly searches for something new. God continually points us back to truths that never change. Repentance is still necessary. Grace is still amazing. The Cross is still sufficient. Jesus Christ is still Lord.

The irony is that while young people are rediscovering old cameras, old music players, and vintage technology, many are also searching for something deeper—a sense of meaning, identity, and purpose. Perhaps that longing explains why the oldest Book in many homes remains the one people most need to read. Not because it is retro or nostalgic. But because it is true.

Jesus said,

Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
Matthew 24:35 (ESV)

In a world constantly chasing what is new, God still changes lives through something wonderfully ancient: His Word. The newest thing is not always the best thing. Sometimes the most valuable treasures are the oldest ones.

Love and trust in the Lord; seek His will in your life.

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