Glory

It would make sense to want to be a testament to the glory of man, exhibiting the fullest of your earthly potential to make known the truest wonders of this world.  Wonders birthed and fulfilled through God.
It would make sense to believe that it's our job to take ownership of these natural beauties, things like Science, Industry, Mathematics, etc.  What doesn't make sense is why we need to own them, what can we do with them that God doesn't do already?  What if ownership of these things actually takes away from our dependence on the source of them?

Christ, God on earth, chose not to glorify Himself with His actions- equality with God was not considered something that could be grasped, even by Him who embodied God!  He was a reflection of God's full nature.  Great things like Science, Math, and Industry are toys that we play with.  He never touched on them.  These qualities of God that are so easy to manipulate for our own end. It's so easy to want to know what it's like to have the world at our fingertips, it's so easy to think we'd manage the world better than God.  Can't He lead us to use these things? I do believe He can, but until we are willing to be who He was for us, the meek, lowly servant of an entire world, the same thing He is today.  What will we do with our power but glorify ourselves for demonstrating it?

Our efforts are in knowing God.  Running after Him in such a way as Christ did. It's a shame I forget that sometimes.

Christ isn't the only means we pursue to achieve our goals, but he is the only way we can achieve them- we all want the world to be a better place, but the world isn't going to last forever, so why pour all of your efforts into it?  No, the effort shouldn't go to what is temporary, rather the effort should go into what is eternal.  God is eternal, and all effort should go to loving Him.