--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is harm not only in trying to gain…" description: "\"There is harm not only in trying to gain wealth but also in excessive concern with even the most necessary things. It is not enough to despise wealth, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/810/saint-john-chrysostom-2375_christ_there-is-harm-not-only-in-trying-to-gain_1081227.jpg" --- # There is harm not only in trying to gain wealth but also… ![“There is harm not only in trying to gain wealth but also in excessive concern with even the most necessary things. It is not enough to despise wealth, but you must also feed the poor and, more importantly, you must follow Christ.” quote by Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/810/saint-john-chrysostom-2375_christ_there-is-harm-not-only-in-trying-to-gain_1081227.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/810/saint-john-chrysostom-2375_christ_there-is-harm-not-only-in-trying-to-gain_1081227.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/810/saint-john-chrysostom-2375_christ_there-is-harm-not-only-in-trying-to-gain_1081227.jpg) > “There is harm not only in trying to gain wealth but also in excessive concern with even the most necessary things. It is not enough to despise wealth, but you must also feed the poor and, more importantly, you must follow Christ.” [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Wealth pursuit can corrupt, but neglecting the needy is also harmful; balance material care with spiritual duty and charity. **In simple terms:** Wealth can harm; also need to help poor and follow Christ. Key Takeaway Balance wealth with compassion and faith. Themes wealth spirituality charity balance Mood reflective serious Type ethical spiritual When to use this quote - personal finance - community service - religious practice - ethical decision making Key Concepts Christian ethics social responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance personal ambition with helping others? - What spiritual practices guide your priorities? A Different Perspective Neglecting personal well‑being while focusing on others can cause burnout. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christ/) [Harm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harm/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Necessary things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/necessary-things/) [Spiritual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual/) [Wealth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealth/) ## Related quotes > [The reason why we see that people of the greatest capacity are not rich, is either they despise wealth in comparison to something else,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eustace-budgell/the-reason-why-we-see-that-people-of-the-greatest-capacity-are-not/) [Eustace Budgell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eustace-budgell/) > [If you find something you love, find a way to gain wealth from it, then your life is one step closer to being perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maximus8/if-you-find-something-you-love-find-a-way-to-gain-wealth-from-it-then/) Maximus8 > [Fortunately, there's another handy driver that has manifested itself throughout the history of cultures. The urge to want to gain wealth. That is almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/fortunately-there-s-another-handy-driver-that-has-manifested-itself/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [Many people despise wealth, but few know how to give it away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/many-people-despise-wealth-but-few-know-how-to-give-it-away/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [A classical education enables you to despise the wealth that it prevents you from achieving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-green/a-classical-education-enables-you-to-despise-the-wealth-that-it/) [Russell Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-green/) > [But it's God who gives us the ability to do things, even to gain wealth; and we must remember that what we do is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-jeremiah/but-it-s-god-who-gives-us-the-ability-to-do-things-even-to-gain/) [David Jeremiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-jeremiah/) > [There are men who gain from their wealth only the fear of losing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-rivarol/there-are-men-who-gain-from-their-wealth-only-the-fear-of-losing-it/) [Antoine Rivarol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-rivarol/) > [The advantage of a classical education is that it enables you to despise the wealth which it prevents you from achieving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-green/the-advantage-of-a-classical-education-is-that-it-enables-you-to/) [Russell Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-green/) > [They got money for wars but they cant feed the poor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/they-got-money-for-wars-but-they-cant-feed-the-poor/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Today society situation: They got money for wars, but can't feed the poor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/punkinhead-abhishek/today-society-situation-they-got-money-for-wars-but-can-t-feed-the/) [Punkinhead Abhishek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/punkinhead-abhishek/) > [They Have Money For War But Can't Feed The Poor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/they-have-money-for-war-but-can-t-feed-the-poor/) [Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/) > [“But progress ought to feed the poor as well as entertain the middle classes, or what good is it?” Remy”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viola-carr/but-progress-ought-to-feed-the-poor-as-well-as-entertain-the-middle/) Viola Carr > [The government can afford to supply the military, but can't feed the poor people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ace-hood/the-government-can-afford-to-supply-the-military-but-can-t-feed-the/) [Ace Hood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ace-hood/) > [“What is to become of us? How are we to feed our poor children, when we no longer have anything even for ourselves?” “I’ll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-grimm/what-is-to-become-of-us-how-are-we-to-feed-our-poor-children-when-we/) [Jacob Grimm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-grimm/) > [The entire trendy foodie world - food writing, food television, celebrated restaurants - is all about food for the rich. But the most important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-kurlansky/the-entire-trendy-foodie-world-food-writing-food-television/) [Mark Kurlansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-kurlansky/) ## More by Saint John Chrysostom > [God measures out affliction to our need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/god-measures-out-affliction-to-our-need/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [If we approach with faith, we too will see Jesus... for the Eucharistic table takes the place of the crib. Here the Body of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/if-we-approach-with-faith-we-too-will-see-jesus-for-the-eucharistic/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [The slave should be resigned to his lot, in obeying his master he is obeying God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/the-slave-should-be-resigned-to-his-lot-in-obeying-his-master-he-is/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [Every trace of the old philosophy and literatureof the ancient world has vanished from the face of the earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/every-trace-of-the-old-philosophy-and-literatureof-the-ancient-world/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [What the soul is in the body, let Christians be in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/what-the-soul-is-in-the-body-let-christians-be-in-the-world/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [...there is nothing that has been created without some reason, even if human nature is incapable of knowing precisely the reason for them all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/there-is-nothing-that-has-been-created-without-some-reason-even-if/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [It is certainly a greater and more wonderful work to change the minds of enemies, bringing about a change of soul, than to kill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/it-is-certainly-a-greater-and-more-wonderful-work-to-change-the-minds/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [As a moth gnaws a garment, so doth envy consume a man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/as-a-moth-gnaws-a-garment-so-doth-envy-consume-a-man/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [What is it to be a fool for Christ? It is to control one's thoughts when they stray out of line. 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For to fail in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/whether-therefore-we-receive-what-we-ask-for-or-do-not-receive-it-let/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [Not to share our own wealth with the poor is theft from the poor and deprivation of their means of life; we do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/not-to-share-our-own-wealth-with-the-poor-is-theft-from-the-poor-and/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) [Explore all 169 Saint John Chrysostom quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) ## More Christ quotes > [I think, here's what I've realized from interviewing people, and I've been very open about my Catholicism and my love of Christ and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/i-think-here-s-what-i-ve-realized-from-interviewing-people-and-i-ve/) [Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/) > [“I would even go so far as to say that the mythical character of a life is just what expresses its universal human validity.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-g-jung/i-would-even-go-so-far-as-to-say-that-the-mythical-character-of-a/) [C.G. 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