What does Acts 12:14 mean?

Peter has escaped execution by the skin of his teeth. An angel came to his prison cell, woke Peter, released his chains, blinded his guards, and opened the gate that stood between him and freedom (Acts 12:1–11). Now, Peter is outside the home of Mary, the mother of John Mark and possibly the host of the first home church. But Peter can't get in. The gate is locked and Rhoda, the servant girl who answered his knock, has run off. In an endearingly powerful moment of joy, she has run to tell others that Peter is there without thinking to open the gate!

This isn't the first time Peter has had a problem with servant girls who recognize him. When temple guards came to arrest Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane Peter tried to defend Him by slicing the ear off the high priest's servant. Jesus healed the man's wound and told Peter to stand down (Luke 22:49–51; John 18:10–11). Peter followed Jesus to Annas' house. While the priests interrogated Jesus and the guards beat Him, Peter came face to face with a servant girl who recognized him (John 18:15–18). Peter realized the relative of his victim was standing beside him; if the girl persisted, Peter's life would be in danger (John 18:25–27). Peter denied knowing Jesus, the cock crowed, and Peter ran into the night, horrified he could not stand for his teacher (Mark 14:66–72).

Although Peter is once again in danger, this time he has done nothing wrong. He waits for Rhoda to return, knowing that if God sent an angel to rescue him from prison, he's unlikely to die at Mary's doorstep.