The language of dreams can be both universal and unique. There are many things we say that are understood by people in general like, ADriving in rainy whether is a real pain!@ However, there are also phrases that are unique to a culture, a region, a situation, a family or an individual. I had visitors recently and we were all busy getting ready for a seminar. As we gathered in the kitchen to grab a sandwich, one of the guests from Louisiana said, AEvery man a king.@ Puzzled, we all looked at her and waited for an interpretation. She explained that any time her dad said that, it meant that everyone had to fend for themselves and get their own food. We laughed explaining to her that we would have interpreted the proclamation to mean the men could sit down and let the women wait on them! Her words were simple and universal but the meaning was unique to her family experience. The point is that we can sift the events and conversations of our dreams through universal filters, but we can miss the point if we do not also sift them through filters that are unique to the dreamer.

Universal or general filters are those aspects of interpretation that "usually or most often" apply. For example, a dream with dogs talking and people flying is obviously symbolic. Looking at the dream through general symbolism, I would consider the dog talking to represent the dreamer=s soul speaking up and the flying to be about rising to see from a spirit or subconscious view, which is a bigger picture than the soul view. But the dreamer might have a unique filter like a fear of dogs; so the dream could represent their fears speaking or threatening them. And the flight could then represent either overcoming the fear or escaping to confront it some other time.

Unique filters can spring from our individual callings. Generally, dreams will be primarily for the dreamer=s benefit. But someone with the calling of Intercessor often has dreams that reveal someone else=s conditions because it is essential that the Intercessor understand the severe or urgent need for prayer in another=s behalf. Generally, dreams will be primarily matters for the dreamer=s personal life. But, for example, if the calling of the dreamer is a Store Manager, even dreams about issues in his home could actually be insights for his business and staff at work.

Unique filters can be determined by our beliefs. Generally, snakes would represent an evil or lethal influence in dreams. But for that unique individual who truly believes reptiles are basically loveable, a snake dream might simply be an ecological insight or strategy.

Unique filters can be determined by our circumstances. Finding a treasure chest full of gold coins would generally be an encouraging, exciting dream; but if we were in the unique circumstances of an IRS audit, the treasure could represent the fear of questionable or unexplainable assets suddenly appearing!

Unique filters can be determined by our experiences. Generally, a mother symbolizes loving, compassionate strength and wisdom, but an individual=s experience of abuse in childhood can form a unique filter that makes a mother figure a symbol of injustice or hatred or betrayal in a dream.

MOTIVATIONAL GIFTINGS

Unique filters can also be determined by our motivational giftings. I believe there are basically seven motivations in human hearts: serving, teaching, exhorting, giving, administrating, perceiving and compassion. And one or two are usually the predominant in most people. (This is based in reading Don and Katie Fortune=s books on Discovering Your Motivational Gifts.) Proverbs 22:6 in the Amplified Bible reads, "Train up a child in the way he should go [and in keeping with his individual gift or bent]." This gift or bent is with us from birth on and it affects how we view things and affects what we decide about what we see. Our gift or bent determines why and how we are moved to action. So, the language of our dreams can be colored by this gift or bent also.

Motivational gifting can be the key to understanding a dream. Let us see how the basic giftings of a dreamer could interpret the same dream. A woman dreams that she is taking a pan of fresh baked rolls to a sick neighbor. If the woman were a natural server, giver or compassionate person, she would probably see the dream as an assignment to take fresh baked rolls to a sick neighbor. A person with a teacher, exhorter or administrator heart might interpret the dream as a mandate to rally the neighborhood to start a good neighbor co-op, organize meetings and instruct on the best way to meet the needs of one another. A person with a perceiver perspective would probably see the dream as purely symbolic and expect new revelation on healing in order to be better equipped to take the bread of healing to others (especially since I do not have a clue about baking fresh rolls!).

We need to know if the language of our dreams is universal or unique to unlock the full meaning. We need wisdom and direction when sifting through our dreams. That brings us back to the constant in dream interpretation: God is the source of Wisdom and we can ask Him for that wisdom. James 1:5 (NIV) If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. (TLB) But when you ask him, be sure that you really expect him to tell you . . . If you don't ask with faith, don't expect the Lord to give you any solid answer. So, let=s ask confidently and He will make it plain.

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