Jesus Never Retaliated

I read Wild at Heart a few years ago, and there is a part where John Eldredge is counseling his son Blaine regarding a bully at school who had pushed him down. He says to him, "The next time that bully pushes you down...I want you to get up...and I want you to hit him...as hard as you possibly can."

Last night at church they had a guest speaker named Don who talked about humility. He spoke about how Jesus willingly died on the cross. Jesus was beaten, mocked, whipped until near-death, forced to wear a crown of thorns, and finally crucified.

Not once did he strike back.

I dig Wild at Heart, but I don't know how to reconcile these two stories. What does the story of Jesus mean for us? How does that transpire in our lives at work, at school? If someone wrongs us, do we just let them? When do we stand up for ourselves, and when do we endure suffering?

Comments are welcome! :)