When the Bardichover Rav zt'l returned from one of his first trips to the Maggid of Mezritch zt'l, his non-chassidic father-in-law mocked him and asked, "What did you learn there this time?"
The Bardichover replied, "I learned that there is a Creator." His father-in-law laughed and called for the gentile maid. "Do you know that there's a Creator?" "Certainly, I know," she replied. The Bardichover Rav replied, "She says, but I know."
There are many levels of emunah. There is a superficial level of emunah, the level that this non-Jewish maid had, which is also good, but there are much greater depths of perception and clarity in emunah.
The Rambam (Pirush HaMishnayos, Brachos) writes, "Studying the foundations of דת והאמונה is more precious to me than everything else I learn." The Rabbeinu Yonah (Mishlei 3:7) writes, "Most of this sefer (Mishlei) deals with the importance of acquiring good middos, but before that, it talks about belief and trust in Hashem because the perfection of emunah comes before all other subjects."
We, therefore, understand why one of the first parshiyos of the Torah is Lech Lecha. This parashah focuses on Avraham Avinu’s emunah, and as the Rabbeinu Yonah writes, "emunah should come before all other subjects."
Rebbe Pinchos Koritzer said, “Until parshas Lech Lecha, the world was unhappy and confused. Afterwards, the chesed of Avraham is aroused, bringing salvation into the world.”
We can explain that it isn't solely the kindness of Avraham that is aroused when we read parshas Lech Lecha. It is also his pure emunah that illuminates the world.
