Mississippi tops the national rankings in most things lousy. We are the fattest, the poorest and the least-educated in just about every national poll that gets released.

On Monday, a study by the Chronicle of Philanthropy found that the poorest state in the nation is also near the top of the list of most generous when it comes to charitable giving. The study found that Mississippians gave $1.1 billion to charity. That ranks 32nd in raw dollars, but per capita, it is second to only Utah as the most generous. Overall income levels, the average contribution for Mississippians came in at 7.2 percent of earned income. Utah’s average was 10.4 percent.

Warren County residents gave $20.9 million, according to the study, which ranks us No. 783 out of 3,115 counties in total giving. Vicksburg residents gave $14 million, which ranks the city in the top 9 percent nationally in contributions.

For the poorest state in the nation to also be the second most generous is a credit to those who live here. This study exemplifies why Mississippians, on the whole, love this state. The people are genuine, caring and giving. We look out for one another and are always the first to answer the call when a need is apparent.

Mississippi also is a convenient punching bag for the rest of the country that notice it for being tops in everything bad and a past we cannot seem to escape. Go ahead and punch if you want. We know better.

For all of its problems, Mississippi is a fine place to live. The landscape has it all — forests, delta, sand and hills. The natural resources are abundant.

The people, though, are what separate us from the rest. Their hearts and spirit of giving are unmatched.

Mississippi, the state with the least to give, is ranked high, and we should all feel proud of that. It brings us back to the story of the widow’s mites in the Bible. In the story, a widow donates two small coins, while wealthy people donate much more. Jesus explained to his disciples that the small sacrifices of the poor mean more to God than the extravagant donations of the rich.

In our case, the state with the least gives the most.

Just as it should be.