The degree of loving is measured by the degree of giving.

Cole’s aphorism equates love with self-donation: love is not primarily a feeling or a declaration but a measurable practice expressed through giving—of time, attention, resources, forgiveness, or service. The line implies that love has an ethical and relational cost; where nothing is risked or offered, love remains unproven. It also challenges sentimental or possessive notions of love by making generosity the criterion: the more one is willing to give for another’s good, the deeper the love. In a motivational or pastoral setting, the saying functions as a call to embodied commitment, urging listeners to evaluate relationships by concrete sacrifice rather than by words alone.