This insightful quote prompts deep reflection on the nature of true love and devotion. It suggests that loving anything alongside God, or any higher good, diminishes the purity of that love if that other thing is not loved for God's sake alone. When we love something for its own intrinsic qualities, or for our own personal gain, we risk diverting our attention and affection away from the ultimate object of love—God Himself. Such love, when mixed with other attachments, can become possessive or conditional, thus compromising the sincerity and depth of our devotion.

The quote underscores the importance of loving God wholeheartedly and exclusively. Loving other things in a way that does not honor or serve our love for God can lead to misplaced priorities and spiritual diminishment. It warns that attaching love to worldly possessions, status, or even other relationships without recognizing or reaffirming our love for God can dilute the strength and authenticity of our devotion.

This idea resonates with many spiritual traditions that emphasize purity of heart and unconditional love. It challenges us to examine where our affections lie and ensures that our love for anything else stems from our love for the divine. By prioritizing our love for God, we can foster a more profound, honest, and unwavering devotion.

Ultimately, this quote calls us to scrutinize the motivations behind our affections and to strive for a love that is undivided and rooted in the recognition of God's supreme goodness. It advocates that love divorced from divine intent is incomplete, and that loving better is loving God first and foremost, for love's true beauty and purpose are realized when directed solely towards the divine.

---Augustine of Hippo---