In relation to God, we are like a thief who has burgled the house of a kindly householder and been allowed to keep some of the gold. From the point of view of the lawful owner this gold is a gift; Form the point of view of the burglar it is a theft. He must go and give it back. It is the same with our existence. We have stolen a little of God's being to make it ours. God has made us a gift of it. But we have stolen it. We must return it.

Summary

This quote compares our relationship with God to that of a thief who has stolen from a benevolent homeowner, but has been allowed to keep some of the stolen goods. From the perspective of the rightful owner, the stolen goods are a gift, whereas from the thief's perspective, it is a theft. In the context of our existence, it suggests that we have taken a portion of God's being for ourselves, which God has actually granted us as a gift. However, the quote emphasizes the need for us to return what we have taken, acknowledging our actions as theft and calling for us to restore what rightfully belongs to God.

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