Our Gemara on Amud Aleph discusses the responsibilities of a free watchman, who is exempt from financial obligations if he claims it was stolen while adequate safeguards were taken. He must make an oath to affirm this. If he is reluctant to swear (pious individuals avoid making oaths even when true), he has the option to pay for the object. In an interesting twist of fate, if the thief was found, the thief now pays the object plus his additional double fine to the watchman. By paying for the object, the watchman effectively bought the rights to any future recoveries.

The Sefas Emes (Mishpatim 4) explains these laws as metaphorically applying to spiritual obligations and consequences. The verses literally state (Shemos 22:6-8):

כִּֽי־יִתֵּן֩ אִ֨ישׁ אֶל־רֵעֵ֜הוּ כֶּ֤סֶף אֽוֹ־כֵלִים֙ לִשְׁמֹ֔ר וְגֻנַּ֖ב מִבֵּ֣ית הָאִ֑ישׁ אִם־יִמָּצֵ֥א הַגַּנָּ֖ב יְשַׁלֵּ֥ם שְׁנָֽיִם׃

When any party gives silver money or goods to another for safekeeping, and they are stolen from that other party’s house: if caught, the thief shall pay double; 

אִם־לֹ֤א יִמָּצֵא֙ הַגַּנָּ֔ב וְנִקְרַ֥ב בַּֽעַל־הַבַּ֖יִת אֶל־הָֽאֱלֹהִ֑ים אִם־לֹ֥א שָׁלַ֛ח יָד֖וֹ בִּמְלֶ֥אכֶת רֵעֵֽהוּ׃ 

If the thief is not caught, the owner of the house shall depose before the court and deny laying hands on the other’s property. 

Sefas Emes explains, God too gives us utensils to safeguard. The Hebrew root for silver (K-S-F) is similar to that of the Hebrew word for desire. The utensils in the verse are a person's own body, while the thief in the verse is the evil inclination, who seeks to steal us from God. The restoration made in court (Elohim - which means in Hebrew simultaneously God, and also a court of law) in the verse is representative of returning to God. Thus, one can read the verse as follows:

When God gives us desire, and our physical bodies, we must safeguard ourselves from our baser instincts. The thief, our desires and the evil inclination, may attempt to steal us from God. If the Tzaddik is careful not to “lay hands on the other person’s property”, that is, he moderates his lust and greed, then he will ultimately receive double reward.

Religion offers a humble and psychologically healthy perspective. We do not belong to ourselves; rather we are entrusted by God to manage ourselves for Him. God is the true owner and we merely have reasonable responsibilities. This allows for freedom from obsessing over matters we cannot control. We must put in the right amount of effort, but we are merely the custodians, while God is the investor.