Ahead of Mother's Day, Working Mother magazine revealed their list of the 50 most powerful mums of 2016. The magazine sites "immense income" and "professional stature" as key criteria for women who make the shortlist. But what does being a powerful mum look like in a biblical sense?

For the Christian mothers who made the cut including Viola Davis and Carrie Underwood, two famous women who have spoken out about their faith and the joys of motherhood, there's a good chance that one biblical mother was a source of inspiration and encouragement. That woman is of course Mary, mother of Jesus.

Regardless of whether we have children, are trying for them or have none at all, we can all learn valuable lessons from Mary about powerful motherhood. Here are three of them, none of which revolve around wealth or status.

It's OK to be vulnerable
Vulnerability is still widely seen as a sign of weakness. The notion that it is in any way empowering will be alien to many people. But for Christians, accepting that we are vulnerability is part of the process. When we accept that we can't do everything, we can invite God to work through us and empower us to achieve things that would never be possible without his intervention. This is exactly what Mary does when she submits to God's plan for her life (Luke 1:26-38). She is aware that alone she can't fulfil the task that God bestows upon her and she isn't afraid of admitting this.

You don't need to have complete control
Being responsible for another person's every want and need can lead to us desiring and attempting to determine every aspect of their life. Mothers have so much control over how their child lives in their formative years – what they eat, when they go to sleep, what they learn – that it can be difficult to let go. When Mary is reunited with Jesus after he stays behind in Jerusalem, her words to him are: "Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you." The act of 'treasuring all these things in her heart' is demonstrative of her acceptance that God is in complete control and her hopes that one day

Sacrifices are a sign of strength
Whether it means putting their careers on hold or experiencing the physical changes that pregnancy and parenthood, every mother will be aware of the need to make sacrifices for their child. When the angel Gabriel comes to Mary, she is completely aware of the possible ramifications of her decision (Luke 1:29) but she makes it anyway. Most powerful mother lists often draw a direct link between power and having it all – a great career, incredible wealth, notoriety, perfectly behaved children. What Mary's story teaches us is that power isn't something that we can achieve alone and it often requires making sacrifices. But because God is all powerful, if we say yes to His call then we can experience this great power too.