--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can give the Devil too much or too…" description: "\"You can give the Devil too much or too little attention.\" — C. S. Lewis" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ab/c-s-lewis-2-132_attention_you-can-give-the-devil-too-much-or-too-l_1918153.png" --- # You can give the Devil too much or too little attention. ![“You can give the Devil too much or too little attention.” quote by C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ab/c-s-lewis-2-132_attention_you-can-give-the-devil-too-much-or-too-l_1918153.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ab/c-s-lewis-2-132_attention_you-can-give-the-devil-too-much-or-too-l_1918153.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ab/c-s-lewis-2-132_attention_you-can-give-the-devil-too-much-or-too-l_1918153.png) > “You can give the Devil too much or too little attention.” [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Giving the Devil too much or too little focus can empower it. **In simple terms:** Balance attention to avoid empowerment. Key Takeaway Maintain moderate awareness of negative influences. Themes spirituality temptation balance focus self-control Mood thoughtful serious Type philosophical spiritual When to use this quote - personal habits - mental health - spiritual practice - decision making Key Concepts theology psychology ethics Questions to Reflect On - How much attention do you give to temptations? - What strategies keep you balanced? A Different Perspective Over‑focus can unintentionally amplify negativity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Devil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devil/) [Devil Little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devil-little-2928371/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little/) [Little Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little-attention-631180/) [Littles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/littles/) [Too much](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too-much/) ## Related quotes > [The kinds of shows that seem to work now, the comedy shows, are those which require very little attention. They're superficial and I like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-tyler-moore/the-kinds-of-shows-that-seem-to-work-now-the-comedy-shows-are-those/) [Mary Tyler Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-tyler-moore/) > [History must repeat itself because we pay such little attention to it the first time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blackie-sherrod/history-must-repeat-itself-because-we-pay-such-little-attention-to-it/) [Blackie Sherrod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blackie-sherrod/) > [I try to pay as little attention as possible to people who are not part of my team. What counts for me is what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-zverev/i-try-to-pay-as-little-attention-as-possible-to-people-who-are-not/) [Alexander Zverev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-zverev/) > [“The world had paid so little attention to him that he supposed he was dead. He hoped he was dead.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vonnegut-kurt-2/the-world-had-paid-so-little-attention-to-him-that-he-supposed-he-was/) [Vonnegut Kurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vonnegut-kurt-2/) > [everybody-even monsters-needed a little attention once in a while.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/everybody-even-monsters-needed-a-little-attention-once-in-a-while/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [If we bestow but a very little attention to the economy of the animal creation, we shall find manifest examples of premeditation, perseverance, resolution,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bartram/if-we-bestow-but-a-very-little-attention-to-the-economy-of-the-animal/) [William Bartram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bartram/) > [“These artists pay little attention to an encircling present that bears no direct relation to the world of work in which they live, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mann/these-artists-pay-little-attention-to-an-encircling-present-that/) [Thomas Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mann/) > [ I was a child or didn't live through those presidents prior to \[Ronald\] Reagan, and thus didn't realize how little attention they had paid… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/i-was-a-child-or-didn-t-live-through-those-presidents-prior-to-ronald/) [Paul Kengor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/) > [The most important things we talk about on Sundays are things to which we pay very little attention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-most-important-things-we-talk-about-on-sundays-are-things-to/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [They pay little attention to what we say and prefer to read tea leaves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikita-khrushchev/they-pay-little-attention-to-what-we-say-and-prefer-to-read-tea-leaves/) [Nikita Khrushchev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikita-khrushchev/) > [“When we choose to be different, we have to expect a little attention.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-grossman/when-we-choose-to-be-different-we-have-to-expect-a-little-attention/) [Nancy Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-grossman/) > [The heart of true love expression is not found in mere countless number of sex but the little attention for your partner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crosby-kwaw/the-heart-of-true-love-expression-is-not-found-in-mere-countless/) [Crosby Kwaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crosby-kwaw/) > [Among other pleasing errors of young minds is the opinion of their own importance. He that has not yet remarked, how little attention his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/among-other-pleasing-errors-of-young-minds-is-the-opinion-of-their/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [A little attention, a pat on the head, and a kind word every now and then is all your dog asks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-sabin/a-little-attention-a-pat-on-the-head-and-a-kind-word-every-now-and/) [Louis Sabin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-sabin/) > [It's funny, but have you ever noticed that the more special something is, the more people seem to take it for granted? It's like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/it-s-funny-but-have-you-ever-noticed-that-the-more-special-something/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) ## More by C. S. Lewis > [One of our great allies at present is the Church itself. Do not misunderstand me. I do not mean the Church as we see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/one-of-our-great-allies-at-present-is-the-church-itself-do-not/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Either Jesus is the Son of God ; or a madman or worse. But His being just a great teacher? He's not left that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/either-jesus-is-the-son-of-god-or-a-madman-or-worse-but-his-being/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [To every soul, God will look like its first love because He IS its first love. Your place in heaven will seem to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/to-every-soul-god-will-look-like-its-first-love-because-he-is-its/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Don't you understand anything? Isn't it absolutely essential to keep a fierce Left and a fierce Right, both on their toes and each terrified…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/don-t-you-understand-anything-isn-t-it-absolutely-essential-to-keep-a/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [“Really great moral teachers never do introduce new moralities: it is quacks and cranks who do that. As”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/really-great-moral-teachers-never-do-introduce-new-moralities-it-is/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [“When He died in the Wounded World He died not for men, but for each man. If each man had been the only man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/when-he-died-in-the-wounded-world-he-died-not-for-men-but-for-each/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [All I am in private life is a literary critic and historian, that's my job...And I'm prepared to say on that basis if anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/all-i-am-in-private-life-is-a-literary-critic-and-historian-that-s-my/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [If a man is going to write on chemistry, he learns chemistry. The same is true of Christianity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/if-a-man-is-going-to-write-on-chemistry-he-learns-chemistry-the-same/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [The first fact in the history of Christendom is a number of people who say they have seen the Resurrection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/the-first-fact-in-the-history-of-christendom-is-a-number-of-people/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [I#pray because the need flows out of me all the time-walking and sleeping. It does not change # God - it changes me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/i-pray-because-the-need-flows-out-of-me-all-the-time-walking-and/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Are the gods not just?' 'Oh no, child. What would become us us if they were?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/are-the-gods-not-just-oh-no-child-what-would-become-us-us-if-they-were/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Love is more than an emotion, it is a decision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/love-is-more-than-an-emotion-it-is-a-decision/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Ink is the great cure for all human ills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/ink-is-the-great-cure-for-all-human-ills/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [A man may have to die for our country: but no man must, in any exclusive sense, live for his country. He who surrenders…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/a-man-may-have-to-die-for-our-country-but-no-man-must-in-any/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [War creates no absolutely new situation: it simply aggravates the permanent human situation so that we can no longer ignore it. Human life has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/war-creates-no-absolutely-new-situation-it-simply-aggravates-the/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) [Explore all 1,190 C. S. Lewis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) ## More Attention quotes > [It appears to me that one great cause of our difference in opinion on subjects which we often discuss is that you have always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ricardo/it-appears-to-me-that-one-great-cause-of-our-difference-in-opinion-on/) [David Ricardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ricardo/) > [People pay far too much attention to the television and they're quite literal in some ways. At the beginning, when I was playing very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ardal-o-hanlon/people-pay-far-too-much-attention-to-the-television-and-they-re-quite/) [Ardal O'Hanlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ardal-o-hanlon/) > [Television, radio, social media. The 24/7 news cycle plows forward mercilessly on our desks, in our cars and in our pockets. Thousands and thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/television-radio-social-media-the-24-7-news-cycle-plows-forward/) [Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [What people don't normally know about us is the hustle is very real, and it's sorely driven a lot by how we consider ourselves.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lzzy-hale/what-people-don-t-normally-know-about-us-is-the-hustle-is-very-real/) [Lzzy Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lzzy-hale/) > [For me, the term "psychotherapy" is limiting. It implies that we work with mind and emotions, but excludes the body and pays scant attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-diamond/for-me-the-term-psychotherapy-is-limiting-it-implies-that-we-work/) [Jed Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-diamond/) > [When you approach something to photograph it, first be still with yourself until the object of your attention affirms your presence. Then don't leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minor-white/when-you-approach-something-to-photograph-it-first-be-still-with/) [Minor White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minor-white/) > [I'm writing about real things. Real people. Real characters. You have to believe what I write about is true or you wouldn't pay any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/i-m-writing-about-real-things-real-people-real-characters-you-have-to/) [Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/) > [ I went to a mosque in Philadelphia with \[my wife\] in December 24, 1999. And we we went to this mosque in Philly, and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-went-to-a-mosque-in-philadelphia-with-my-wife-in-december-24-1999/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [The Harvard Business Review recently had an article called 'The Human Moment,' about how to make real contact with a person at work: ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-goleman/the-harvard-business-review-recently-had-an-article-called-the-human/) [Daniel Goleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-goleman/) > [Let us thank God heartily as often as we pray that we have His Spirit in us to teach us to pray. Thanksgiving will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-murray/let-us-thank-god-heartily-as-often-as-we-pray-that-we-have-his-spirit/) [Andy Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-murray/) > [Enlightened people live in very charged states of attention, with a tremendous power circuiting through them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/enlightened-people-live-in-very-charged-states-of-attention-with-a/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [We must have a welfare system that we can afford, which will mean giving greater attention to directing the welfare program toward its primary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-portillo/we-must-have-a-welfare-system-that-we-can-afford-which-will-mean/) [Michael Portillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-portillo/) > [The director's job should give you a sense of music without drawing attention to itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-hackford/the-director-s-job-should-give-you-a-sense-of-music-without-drawing/) [Taylor Hackford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-hackford/) [Browse all 10,153 Attention quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You can give the Devil too much or too little attention.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "C. S. Lewis" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/you-can-give-the-devil-too-much-or-too-little-attention/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Attention" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/you-can-give-the-devil-too-much-or-too-little-attention/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ab/c-s-lewis-2-132_attention_you-can-give-the-devil-too-much-or-too-l_1918153.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ab/c-s-lewis-2-132_attention_you-can-give-the-devil-too-much-or-too-l_1918153.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ab/c-s-lewis-2-132_attention_you-can-give-the-devil-too-much-or-too-l_1918153.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You can give the Devil too much or too little attention.” — C. S. Lewis", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "C. S. Lewis", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You can give the Devil too...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/you-can-give-the-devil-too-much-or-too-little-attention/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/you-can-give-the-devil-too-much-or-too-little-attention/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```