Do you have the "write" degree?

I dedicate this post to a friend of mine (you know who you are...). It's kind of funny. My friend and I are both writers, and we are also both musicians. I was an English major, and she was a music major.

My friend is a great writer, but she's not crazy about letting me read what she writes. She always points out that I'm the one with the degree in English...that I'm the one who knows about clauses....that I'm the one who understands active/passive voice...etc., etc., etc.

I understand how she feels. It took me a while to get the guts up to play in front of her. It can be intimidating playing in front of someone with a music degree when you've never had formal musical training. But she's always said that it doesn't matter. I protest because of all I don't know. I don't always follow the rules of musicianship...I don't know how to stack chords...I never studied music theory...etc., etc., etc. Sometimes I just feel inadequate around professional musicians.

Likewise, I suppose she feels intimidated letting me read her writings because she doesn't have the same training I have (which is kind of comical since I earned most of my degree reading Masterplots summaries and Cliff's Notes rather than studying the actual works themselves).

The fact is, our education doesn't always necessarily match up with our calling. My friend is a writer without an English degree. I'm a musician without a music degree. But you know what? The Holy Spirit anoints my music anyway. He anoints her writing anyway. He equips us and empowers us to do what He's called us to do. All it takes is for us to humble ourselves and then say "Use me, Lord".

Who cares if we don't have a clue what transformational generative grammar is? Who cares if we can't explain why the world needs something called the circle of fifths? I'll just keep on abusing ellipses and playing strange chord progressions as He leads me. I'll trust Him and keep my heart open to new possibilities. I invite Him to do with me as he pleases. The Lord doesn't care what degree I have. My incompetence is His competence. His strength is made perfect in my weakness. Pretty cool, when you think about it. He's a pretty awesome God. :)

So he answered and said to me: "This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the Lord of Hosts. 

- Zechariah 4:6 NKJV