Deuteronomy 32 ended with a reiteration of God’s refusal to allow Moses to enter the Promised Land with the children of Israel. Chapter 33 begins with Moses blessing the people. And this, among other things, is what qualifies Moses to be called a “man of God,” a phrase seen here in Scripture for the first time. When God denied Moses’ requests to accompany the people into the Promised Land, Moses could have said, “If after forty years, this is the thanks I get; if after I’ve given my life for these people and led them through the wilderness to the best of my ability, I’m disqualified because of one mistake, I’m outta here.” But he didn’t. Rather than running away and licking his wounds, Moses blessed the people.

Greatness is found in what a man does within the boundaries placed around him. Many people say, “If I can’t do this, if I can’t be that, I won’t do anything.” Not Moses. He shows us that the way to greatness, to being a man of God, is not to pull back, but to be a blessing.