Over Half- Way. Am I smart now?

I received notice that I have earned a Master of Art in Religion from Liberty Theological Seminary. That means I am have a little over 30 hrs until I finish my Masters of Divinity. A MDiv is required for me to be a chaplain in the National Guard. Does the Masters degree make me smarter or more of an authority than anyone else? No it means that I can write a research paper and that the government has spent thousands of dollars to make sure I am dedicated enough to be a chaplain for soldiers. It is a pain but I am glad of the prerequisites. Too many times we ,or I to be exact, like to be something for nothing. I am an expert because of this or I deserve this because of that. But in reality it takes determination, dedication and action to earn the right to be heard and respected.