Dori Miller, a mess attendant, impulsively ignored the order to abandon ship and carried his wounded commander to safety. He then impulsively ignored the order forbidding blacks to fire the ship's weapons and began firing the USS West Virginia's antiaircraft guns to try and save his ship. He defined himself in those moments as a Pearl Harbor hero. I wish I had a defining moment like that. As much as he wanted the cup to pass from his lips, he chose to sacrifice himself.
Descriptive moments reflect conscious decisions.
We have a chance to think about what to do and we make choices. On the other hand, defining moments, like Jesus kicking the money changers out of the Temple or Dori Miller defending his ship, just happen with no thought or planning. For me, they are more revealing because they tell us whether we are what we believe. If we have to think in order to act as we believe, then our beliefs have not yet become a part of us. Defining moments also can be used to gauge our progress as Christians.