Does your favorite coffee shop have one of those tip jars asking you to choose between a dog or a cat, Superman or Batman, iced or hot coffee?

While these prompts are more fun than psychologically manipulative, they do monetize a particularly prevalent propensity: “us vs. them” thinking. When you drop in your crumpled George Washington, you're not just giving a tip, you're putting yourself on a team and identifying an opponent.

The modern news landscape loves this tribal stuff. We click more and read longer when we’re consuming headlines that strengthen our ties to “us” while boosting our skepticism, cynicism, and outrage toward “them.”

These habits make us believe we are the heroes who have it right, see the world clearly, and aren't fooled by what “they” can't seem to see. Brick by brick, we construct a hierarchy of humans, with “us” at the top and “them” at the bottom. And boy, does that feel good.

In the first century, Paul wrote to the church in Philippi, addressing this exact issue:

“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

Philippians 2:3-8 (ESV)

In a culture where confident superiority passes for virtue, Christ’s humility is as countercultural as it gets. Our identity doesn’t come from being on the right ideological team, but from the hierarchy-flattening sacrifice of Jesus.

Here's a practical way to choose humility this month: Ask a question to someone you disagree with before making statements or lobbing judgments. “What's important to you about this?” Or "Help me see this the way you see it."

In a world marked by puffing ourselves up in selfish ambition and conceit, may we be those who consider the interests of others—even our enemies—above our own.

And may we always tip our baristas.