Chess
This story goes inside the boy. We find a lonely soul, timid and introverted. He is someone who has trouble expressing himself, or asserting himself. He loves the quiet game of chess, but in order to please his friends and father he tries to be good at a game he does not like cricket.
After prayer God gives him the ability to play cricket like a champion, an experience he enjoys. But now the boy is faced with a new problem, to continue with cricket, or to openly declare his love of chess? The irony is, the better he is at cricket, the less he wants to play it, and the more he longs to play chess. He is not moved by the sudden popularity he is receiving, but he remains quiet and fails to speak out. While he is thinking about this, one of the boys on his team knocks him down. It looked like an accident but the boy knows it wasn't. He is surprised by the animosity a team mate feels towards him, but should he be?
The story shows a situation many people find themselves in, to be themselves, and do the things that most interest them, or to conform to the preferences of the group? Many people suppress their inner abilities and skills, sacrificing them on the altar of the crowd's approval.
Matthew 25:25 "And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the earth: lo, there you have that which is yours."
God gives us all talents, to all of us different talents, and we are then given the opportunity to develop these talents. We may hide them if we wish, but when we are called to account God will want to see what we have done with those things He gave us.