Biblical concepts that go against instinct can not be seamlessly adopted into one's life. It takes struggle and lots of study and digesting the Bible to really get it INTO our hearts and then used as reflexive actions. I find it humbling that as I've been studying God's attitude towards our violence/non-violence that He has kept opening new scripture to me. I am convinced of only one thing: I do not know everything and can only learn by God giving me wisdom. Lately I've been lead to read the Psalms, particularly Psalms 4 and 17. Psalms 17 surprised me.

"8 Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings, 9 From the wicked that oppress me, from my deadly enemies, who compass me about."

We know by reading the story of David, the psalmist, that he defended himself by running away. He felt conviction just cutting the hem of Saul's cloak! Saul being anointed or not, this was a non-violent approach. I don't know that everything he did applies to the New Testament, but the Psalms seem to transcend Levitical barriers and in Psalms 17 the psalmist is putting his defense in God's hands.

If faced with an attacker, I would try to get out of the situation... but we have to accept that sometimes we can't run. However, we have to strive to be so in tune with the spirit of God that we can look beyond another's aggression and see their soul. We are not our own. We don't play by the rule's of this world and of our instinct.
I've heard many stories of people in this sort of situation and the common theme is that if they truly believed that God would take care of them and they were willing to be harmed to help someone else, in each case God stepped in and took their side in one way or another. Sometimes this meant saving them from harm. Sometimes it meant them being harmed but bringing God great glory in the process. We have to die to the flesh every day so that we are prepared for any more literal moment. Stephen had this in-tune kind of spirit. He was asking God to forgive the people who were stoning him to death. How can we cultivate this spirit of peace and submission to God, even in the middle of horror? I'm convinced it starts with daily dying and bringing our flesh habitually into submission to God.

We crave for suffering to make sense and have a higher purpose. When we can't see that purpose, then sometimes we reject that it should happen at all. We're looking towards a place where justice is real and that things DO make sense, but we're not there yet. I don't know where to discriminate between persecution for following Jesus and criminal activity. Isn't any evil inherently going against God and those who belong to Him? We know that bad things happen to good people and we know that we can only control our own actions and reactions to those bad things. We know that we will be judged by our works, and we know that overcoming our carnal nature is worth it in the end. There is so much transformation that has to take place between where we begin naturally and that creature that is admitted into the presence of God. (Yes, He gives us grace, and I'm thankful for that. He also calls us to actively pursue His higher standard.)

The psalm goes on to say:

10 They are inclosed in their own fat: with their mouth they speak proudly. 11 They have now compassed us in our steps: they have set their eyes bowing down to the earth; 12 Like as a lion that is greedy of his prey, and as it were a young lion lurking in secret places. 13 Arise, O Lord, disappoint him, cast him down: deliver my soul from the wicked, which is thy sword: 14 From men which are thy hand, O Lord, from men of the world, which have their portion in this life, and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure: they are full of children, and leave the rest of their substance to their babes.

This part especially stands out to me. It's interesting that God uses the wicked as a tool, not only against other wicked people, but also to shape His children to be more like Him. This reemphasizes the need to let ourselves be molded by God's use of wicked people in our lives. How painful. This goes against every fiber of our being.

For me it all boils down to the last verse. 15 "As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness." It's all about motivation- a deep desire to be in His likeness, though that means willing to accept pain.