²³ “And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, ²⁴but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it,”

12:23

And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor;

We “bestow” (literally, put around, clothe) greater honor on lesser parts of the human body by covering them. We take special care to honor less esteemed physical members of our body. The church should do this for so-called less respected gifts.

and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty,

This portrays “less honorable” parts of the body as more appropriate. Paul may refer to sexual organs here. Sex organs are not shameful, but the display of them is.

12:24

but our presentable parts have no need.

More-presentable parts of the body, such as our hands, do not “need” a cover.

But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it,

God so constituted (mixed together) the human body so that one member of the body cares for another in a way that it cannot care for itself. God harmoniously blends gifts together in the body of Christ. If God mixed together gifts of the body, it is logical that He would approve of the entire symmetry of gifts. 

PRINCIPLE: 

God so constitutes gifts that they work together in symmetry.

APPLICATION: 

Do we judge other Christians as less valuable, less honorable, or unattractive? Do we marginalize them in our minds? If so, this implies that we view ourselves as superior to them. The gift of helps is as important as the gift of pastor/teacher.

Beauty is a combination of parts or symmetry. When we put ugly parts together with other parts of the body, we have beauty or symmetry. When all body parts function in their proper place, we have beauty. When the church recognizes each and every gift functioning together as a whole, then we have God’s intention for the church. Peacocks lose their desire for prominence and prestige.

If I hit my finger with a hammer, my whole body is sympathetic about the hurt. We all belong to the body of Christ, so we should all react together for one another. If we get an infection in some part of our body and do not treat it, it will invade the entire body. If we do not care about lesser members of the body of Christ, it will eventually hurt the entire body.

Ga 6:2, Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ (love).