how do you know when you gave greater love to anything other than god?
Well, if I love my wife a great deal, which I do, and Jesus is within her, which He is, then I am loving God too. If I am loving the beautiful ocean or sea, and God is the creator and power of the sea, which He is, then I am loving God too.
If I love racing my bicycle, I am in effect celebrating the life that God has given me, and such a celebration is love for “God comes to us, disguised as our life.”(Paula D’Arcy)
Do you see where I am coming from? Love comes from God and is received by God. There really is a oneness, a wholeness, a (w)holiness.
That said, it should be emphasized that there are many places to willfully give love where much more is needed. The poor, the sick, and the lonely come to mind…